Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Saudi pavilion records 90 agreements at ATM

The Saudi pavilion at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022 saw more than 90 deals and agreements made between leading travel companies and international tourism partners.

The pavilion was a flurry of activity at every visitor touchpoint, bringing to life the sights, tastes and sounds of Saudi’s dynamic tourism offering and displaying the breadth and diversity of what global travellers can experience.

From the immersive tunnel of stunning destination highlights to the Saudi café, grounded in authentic Arabian hospitality, the pavilion was a true reflection of the country’s inspiring transformation journey, a blend of its rich cultural traditions and rapidly evolving lifestyle offering.

The sounds of Saudi resonated through the pavilion, visitors warmly welcomed by traditional Najdi song and dance as well as the modern beats of renowned Saudi violinist, DJ and producer, Kayan.

“The beauty of Saudi lies in its diversity, charm and authenticity as the true home of Arabia,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority. “We are building the world’s biggest new destination, with Saudi’s rich culture and heritage, stunning, unique landscapes and dynamic lifestyle offering at the heart of our offering.”

“Saudi is incomparable in its inspiration, to welcome and invite the world to experience the breadth of what we have to offer as a country and the warmth and hospitality of our people.

“We present the biggest opportunity in tourism today, for the industry and for consumers. Our focus is on continuing to build relationships with world-class brands and companies and this year’s ATM was a clear demonstration of the confidence and commitment we are witnessing from key international partners,” he added.

Announcements made on the Saudi pavilion at this year’s ATM included:

•    Saudia launched a new in-flight entertainment system, Beyond, which will provide over 5,000 hours of HD content.
•    Diriyah Gate Development Authority announced the launch of the first educational art center dedicated solely to digital arts.
•    Royal Commission for AlUla launched its first Travel Agent Training Program and Trade Information Hub, ‘AlUla Specialist’ to facilitate training for global travel agents on the ancient city of AlUla.
•    Cruise Saudi announced that it had already surpassed its 2023 goal and plans to add a cruise port in Duba and Jizan in the south – targeting 1.3 million passengers by 2030.
•    The Red Sea Development Company is moving into the secondary phase of The Red Sea Project, with a new island master plan soon to be unveiled, delivering an additional 800 residential units in the market by 2023/24. – TradeArabia News Service