Saudi governor sponsors Olfa Association for Family Development ceremony

Saudi governor sponsors Olfa Association for Family Development ceremony
Saudi governor of Hafr al-Batin, Prince Mansour bin Muhammad bin Saad. (SPA)
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Updated 19 September 2023
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Saudi governor sponsors Olfa Association for Family Development ceremony

Saudi governor sponsors Olfa Association for Family Development ceremony

RIYADH: Saudi governor of Hafr al-Batin, Prince Mansour bin Muhammad bin Saad, sponsored a ceremony of the Alfa Association for Family Development on its 4th anniversary of its founding, state news agency reported on Tuesday.

The ceremony included a visual presentation about the association, its projects, goals, programs, and several different paragraphs.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Olfa Association, Mishal Al-Sharia, said during his speech the importance of the association’s role in providing services and family work and raising awareness for the community, as the number of beneficiaries over the four years reached more than 30,000 beneficiaries.


Saudi-French maritime symposium explores investment opportunities

Saudi-French maritime symposium explores investment opportunities
Updated 23 min 30 sec ago
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Saudi-French maritime symposium explores investment opportunities

Saudi-French maritime symposium explores investment opportunities
  • Ludovic Pouille, the French ambassador to the Kingdom, inaugurated the event and said relations between the Kingdom and France were historic and expanding to cover all sectors
  • Saudi ports were currently among the fastest in the world in terms of cargo handling, with their capacity increasing, said President of Mawani Omar Hariri

KHOBAR: Business France recently organized the “French Saudi Maritime Days” symposium in Alkhobar, under the patronage of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and the French Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Business France is responsible for fostering export growth and facilitating international investment in France.

Exchanges on the contribution of French companies to the transformation of Saudi Arabia into a logistics hub between Asia, Africa and Europe as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 were held at the symposium.

Ludovic Pouille, the French ambassador to the Kingdom, inaugurated the event and said relations between the Kingdom and France were historic and expanding to cover all sectors.

He added: “France is a global maritime player of the 21st century. It is present on board the oceans and we are the second largest maritime power in the world.

“We are concerned about everything related to marine environments and we want to promote innovative blue growth.

“We can be stronger, smarter and also greener. We want to further strengthen our investments with our Saudi partners and increase our sharing of cooperation to the benefit of both our countries.

“This event allows us to capitalize on this alignment by taking proactive measures to foster robust and sustainable trade cooperation in order to also strengthen Franco-Saudi relations in this area.

“This maritime symposium will also help to position French companies as major players on three continents (Asia, Europe and Africa).”

Saudi ports were currently among the fastest in the world in terms of cargo handling, with their capacity increasing, Mawani President Omar Hariri said.

Jesper Stenbak, senior vice president of shipping company CMA CGM’s Dubai regional office, said: “The Franco-Saudi Maritime Days are an excellent opportunity for the CMA CGM Group to interact with the official authorities and industry players of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“The country’s maritime sector is particularly dynamic, and CMA CGM supports its clients by offering more direct services and increasing capacity by deploying additional vessels.”


Saudi king and crown prince offer condolences to Iraq over victims of Nineveh fire

Saudi king and crown prince offer condolences to Iraq over victims of Nineveh fire
Updated 39 min 48 sec ago
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Saudi king and crown prince offer condolences to Iraq over victims of Nineveh fire

Saudi king and crown prince offer condolences to Iraq over victims of Nineveh fire

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a telegram of condolences and sympathy to Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, regarding the victims of a fire that broke out in a wedding hall in Nineveh governorate, in northern Iraq, the state-run SPA news agency reported on Wednesday. 
The king said: “We learned of the news of a fire breaking out in one of the wedding halls in Nineveh Governorate, and the resulting deaths and injuries.
“We send to Your Excellency, the families of the deceased, and the brotherly people of the Republic of Iraq our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy,” he added, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent the Iraqi president a similar cable of condolences.
At least 100 people were killed when a fire ripped through a crowded wedding hall earlier on Wednesday, with more than 150 people also injured by the flames.


Who’s Who: Rami AlMoallim, vice president of marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla

Who’s Who: Rami AlMoallim, vice president of marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla
Updated 7 sec ago
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Who’s Who: Rami AlMoallim, vice president of marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla

Who’s Who: Rami AlMoallim, vice president of marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla

Rami AlMoallim has been vice president of destination management and marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla since March 2023.

His time in this position has been characterized by innovation, strategic prowess and a commitment to enhancing AlUla’s appeal.

After taking charge of the commission’s calendar of events for 2023, AlMoallim introduced a wide range of cultural and entertainment offerings to attract both local and international audiences. 

A central aspect of AlMoallim’s role has been the development and implementation of a comprehensive three-year strategy to elevate the region’s global standing and increase visitor numbers, breathing new life into the historical site. 

AlMoallim began working with the commission in May 2021, serving as executive director of destination operations.

Previously, he spent more than six years at Saudia Cargo, the Kingdom’s national airfreight airline. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he lead the airline’s operations transfer to a new terminal facility in Riyadh, while restructuring another old terminal in Jeddah.

AlMoallim’s executive career has spanned more than two decades.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a specialization in operations management from King AbdulAziz University, and a master’s degree in the same specialization from the University of Business and Technology in Jeddah.


World tourism leaders meeting in Riyadh highlight need for investment in people

World tourism leaders meeting in Riyadh highlight need for investment in people
Updated 18 min 3 sec ago
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World tourism leaders meeting in Riyadh highlight need for investment in people

World tourism leaders meeting in Riyadh highlight need for investment in people
  • Experts and leaders from around the world agreed that investment in talent was crucial to creating a sustainable sector
  • In 2020, more than 62 million jobs were lost globally due to the pandemic, many of those being in the tourism and hospitality industry

RIYADH: Global tourism officials meeting in Saudi Arabia have highlighted the importance of investing in people to safeguard the future of the sector.
With the industry getting back on track following the coronavirus pandemic, renewed efforts are being made to promote careers in tourism and hospitality.
Experts and leaders from around the world, gathered in Riyadh for the UN World Tourism Organization’s World Tourism Day, agreed that investment in talent was crucial to creating a sustainable sector.
Speaking on Wednesday during a panel session titled “Investing in Our People,” Indonesia’s deputy minister for tourism product and events at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Rizki Handayani, said: “Human capital development is the most important aspect that plays key roles in the success of sustainable, or green tourism.
“We really need to put our efforts into the development of our human capital, their skill, their knowledge, as well as their capability and entrepreneurship.”
In 2020, more than 62 million jobs were lost globally due to the pandemic, many of those being in the tourism and hospitality industry. Saudi Arabia has since managed a return to work for 80 percent of the sector’s employees. But for many, job security fears are holding them back.
Haitham Mattar is managing director for the Middle East, Africa, and Southwest Asia at IHG Hotels and Resorts, the largest operator and employer in Saudi Arabia with more than 18,000 rooms in around 40 hotels.
He said: “It is now a critical task for both the government and private sector to re-instil the confidence in giving employees job security, but also financial certainty.”
While employment in hospitality can offer fast-tracked career opportunities, and international work, many people were now looking for flexibility, work-life balance, and well-being with jobs in areas such as hotels and airlines.
One of the biggest challenges currently being faced by companies was providing education and training for future employees. But CEO of Sommet Education, Benoit-Etienne Domenget, said globally these were not among the key investment areas.
“For too long, our community players of hospitality, tourism, and travel have considered human capital as a commodity,” he added.
Delegates at the session debated the need for expanded education beyond hospitality skills to ensure content was locally relevant and through the encouragement of entrepreneurial mindsets.
Christine Bockelmann, dean of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, said: “From a study in Portugal, we know that 50 percent of all people who have an education in tourism do not subsequently work in this field, so we have a problem with the attractivity of the jobs in this area.
“Education is very important and sustainability, and prosperity is very important. My key point is that we have to create a connectivity between these three topics,” she added.
 


Women’s empowerment is vital to success, says UNWTO executive director

Women’s empowerment is vital to success, says UNWTO executive director
Updated 27 September 2023
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Women’s empowerment is vital to success, says UNWTO executive director

Women’s empowerment is vital to success, says UNWTO executive director
  • UNWTO announces winners of Women in Tech Startup Competition: Middle East
  • The competition saw 143 applicants from across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, and Syria

RIYADH: The UN World Tourism Organization on Wednesday, World Tourism Day, announced the winners of its Women in Tech Startup Competition: Middle East, being held in Riyadh.
Launched in March to celebrate International Women’s Day, the competition sought women-led startups with innovative approaches to provide services and solutions with a positive social impact.
The competition saw 143 applicants from across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, and Syria.
The winner of the Social Impact Category was Saudi national Nouf Al-Hazmi, CEO of Plastus Biotech, which specializes in making PHA biodegradable bioplastic by re-purposing organic waste.
Al-Hazmi said: “They’ve only selected four from all over the world … It’s huge. It means a lot to us, for young Saudi women and women around the world.”
Plastus Biotech’s concept falls in line with the Kingdom’s circular carbon economy goal for 2030 and the carbon neutrality agreement of 2060.
She said: “There are many opportunities. We can replace so many products that are fossil-based with more sustainable products that are actually carbon negative, and everyone will benefit.”
The winner of the Tourism and Travel Experience category was Kirti Chandel, chief product officer at SparkleHaze, for creating an enterprise-based, artificial intelligence assistant speaker named Woo-Hoo, as an in-room voice assistant for hospitality.
Chandel says Woo-Hoo creates a personalized experience for guests while remaining sustainable and easy to use.
She said: “We are boosting green hospitality. We are moving away from all the different devices that are used in hotels that are more cluttered. So, we combine them into one single form factor and also, we are digitizing your compendium menu. So, all the paper that is there within the room is gone.”
The winner of the Future Tech Category was Serbian national Zeljana Babic, CEO of Xenios Academy, an AI-powered training program with the mission to help hospitality businesses boost revenue by investing in employee training.
She said: “I feel extremely empowered. I feel very humbled. I am still shocked. To be honest. This might be one of the happiest moments of my professional career …
“We cannot invest in hospitality without investing in people and without investing in their education. And only once we do that, they will be able to provide services to their guests.”
The winner of the Events and Community category was Menna Ayad, CEO of Fosha, an AI-powered app for booking personalized experiences in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Executive Director of UNWTO Natalia Bayona said that Saudi Arabia is “booming when it comes to tourism.”
Bayona is a frequent visitor to the Kingdom and has collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Education to boost the tourism industry.
She said: “I have to say that … (Saudi Arabia) has those values — the values of investment in people through education, investment in the planet through a better futuristic city for the next generations, and of course, investing in prosperity, in youth, and in technology and innovation.
“I have been working a lot with the ministry to foster education to create together a strategy of human capacity development and to strengthen the power of partnerships again with the private sector for innovation and technology and investments.”
Bayona said that the Financial Times’ joint report with the UNWTO reported that Saudi Arabia has been growing its foreign direct investment by 80 percent. “That’s crucial and that’s really strong because that means that the country is really into investment and diversifying the economy through tourism.”
With tourism being the top employer of women and youth, Bayona says staying committed and being part of a positive community makes all the difference.
“The most important thing is that I have to be thankful to my bosses,” she said, crediting her employers for empowering and trusting her. “And at the end of the day, that’s what matters. Because of course you can be talented, and you can have a very bright curriculum, but if you are not empowered, you are not (going) anywhere.”