Vivian Nereim, Bloomberg
Foreign guests will certainly be able to interact with the locals when staying at Saudi hotels in the near future because only Saudis will staff the front desk and key management positions. It's a sign of the weakness of the country's economy, and could become a key issue for hotel owners if the tourism industry takes off.
2 months ago
Sarah Algethami, Bloomberg
Despite the grand plans, the project is still some way off but it shows how serious Saudi Arabia is about planning for life after oil.
2 months ago
Raini Hamdi, Skift
Saudi Arabia is expanding its infrastructure to support 15 million Umrah visitors a year by 2020, and 30 million by 2030. WebBeds and Agoda are two major Asian players that are jostling for position in the promising niche.
3 months ago
Vivian Nereim and Donna Abu-Nasr, Bloomberg
The loosening of social restrictions in Saudi Arabia has residents wondering if breaking the taboo on alcohol consumption could be next. That would surely go down well with the tourism industry and the grand Red Sea resorts the Crown Prince plans to build. Lots of international tourists and talent would drink to that.
3 months ago
Sarah Algethami, Bloomberg
The long-discussed first phase of the Red Sea project, with 14 hotels and an airport, is due in 2022. We'll believe it's not a mirage when we see it.
4 months ago
Filipe Pacheco and Donna Abu-Nasr, Bloomberg
One of the kingdom’s largest travel companies, Al Tayyar, could receive a cash boost if it sells its stake in a ridehailing company to Uber as expected. The Saudi Arabian travel firm will need to invest the windfall wisely if it wishes to avoid the troubles facing companies like TUI and Thomas Cook.
7 months ago
Dana Khraiche, Bloomberg
Saudi Arabia has lifted a travel warning on Lebanon for its citizens. Gulf tourists used to be the biggest spenders in Lebanon, so it's hopeful news for the beautiful but geopolitically unlucky country.
7 months ago
Sarah Algethami, Bloomberg
Neom Bay would be seen by some as a feather in the cap of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who's accused of ordering the grisly murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Not to worry: Saudi Arabia's track record in completing mega developments like this is spotty, at best.
8 months ago
Dennis Schaal, Skift
Uber needs to shed its Saudi Arabia investment as long as Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman remains in power, and the country bombs innocents in Yemen. Uber's leaders know they have to do this, but how they dump their Saudi investment and the extent of the divorce remain to be seen.
9 months ago
Anousha Sakoui, Bloomberg
Will Six Flags face any blowback for its relationship with Saudi Arabia, even as other companies cut ties? Its theme park is set to open in 2023, so there is plenty of time to find out.
11 months ago
Sean O'Neill, Skift
This story is yet more fodder supporting one of Skift's megatrends for 2018, which was that travel brands no longer get political at their own risk — they avoid politics at their own risk, given consumer expectations.
11 months ago
Layan Odeh, Bloomberg
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. The actions of Qatar's neighbors were always going to have an impact on the country's airline, but the reality is it could have been much, much worse.
1 year ago
