Saudi Arabia Plans Massive Green Downtown for Riyadh

In line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the recently-launched New Murabba Development Company will be developing what it calls the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh. The New Murabba project will be built around the concept of sustainability, featuring green areas and walking and cycling paths, according to a release. “It will also feature an iconic museum, a technology and design university, a multipurpose immersive theatre, and more than 80 entertainment and culture venues,” the release further stated. Built over an area of 19 square kilometers, the project will also have its own internal transport system and will be located at a distance of 20 minutes’ drive from the airport. As part of the project, Saudi Arabia will also be developing a 400-meter-high-cue shaped skyscraper Mukaab touted to be the world’s first immersive destination offering an experience created by digital and virtual technology with the latest holographics. The project is expected to add $48 billion to non-oil gross domestic product and create 334,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030. The project is due to be completed in 2030.

Annual passenger traffic at Dubai airport more than doubled last year even as it is yet to fully recover after the coronavirus pandemic, the airport said on Tuesday. Dubai airport handled 66.1 million passengers in 2022, exceeding its forecast of 64.3 million while retaining the title of the world's busiest international hub for the ninth consecutive year. The airport is forecast to welcome 78 million passengers this year. Traffic volumes were propelled by strong growth in the final quarter of the year during which the airport recorded 19.7 million passengers, up 67 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. India retained its position as the top destination country for Dubai Airport by passenger volume, with a total traffic of 9.8 million passengers, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4.9 million passengers, and the United Kingdom with 4.6 million passengers.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed positive signs of recovery for the travel and tourism sector in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as overseas travellers head back. The report, researched in partnership with Oxford Economics, analysed key indicators such as travel and tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), employment a