Frankly Speaking: Saudi Arabia doubling down on Diriyah Gate project, says DGDA CEO 

01 | The historical context of Diriyah
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Updated 19 June 2021
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Frankly Speaking: Saudi Arabia doubling down on Diriyah Gate project, says DGDA CEO 

  • Jerry Inzerillo made the remarks on Frankly Speaking, a series of video conversations with leading Middle East decision-makers
  • Project’s budget has been increased from $20 billion to $40 billion, and its scope increased significantly, he said

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia is doubling down on its landmark Diriyah Gate project to build a leisure and cultural zone in the historic heart of Riyadh.

Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the authority that runs the landmark project, told Arab News that his budget has been increased from $20 billion to $40 billion, and its scope increased significantly.

“What has happened is that the master plans, (following further) research, have evolved into a broader vision to allow it to be a component (of the strategy to turn) Riyadh into one of the 10 great cities of the world,” he said.

Inzerillo, a veteran of the global tourism business who was appointed to the top job at the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) in 2018, revealed the project’s new ambitions in an interview with “Frankly Speaking,” the series of video conversations with leading business and political leaders.




The inaugural celebration of Diriyah Gate. (Supplied)

During the interview, he also spoke of the DGDA’s prime place within the Vision 2030 giga-projects, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Kingdom’s tourism industry, and its far-reaching plans to rival such global attractions as the pyramids in Egypt and the Colosseum in Rome.

The move to increase the project’s budget and scope was the brainchild of Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, Inzerillo said.

“It’s not just that we were given some more money. It’s a result of a change in vision. He (the crown prince) studies plans meticulously. As the smartest guy in the room, his visual acuity is amazing,” he said.




Old structures in Diriyah, the site of the first Saudi Kingdom in the 18th century, have been preserved. (Supplied)

"So, the same way Paris was master-planned and laid out, the same way Berlin was laid out, the same way Manhattan was laid out — this is how the crown prince looks at all the cities and that’s why we’ve grown.”

Diriyah, the site of the first Saudi Kingdom in the 18th century, is regarded as the centerpiece of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy and provide more leisure and cultural facilities for Saudi citizens, as well as attracting foreign tourists.

“There’s only one Diriyah. We’re the first born, we’re the favorite son. My fellow CEOs can come on the show and say, ‘No, we’re great.’ They’re all great, we love them, but there’s only one Diriyah,” Inzerillo said.

He insisted that Diriyah Gate and the other mega-projects are on time and have not been unduly delayed by the economic effects of the pandemic.

 

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The budgets of the other big leisure projects — such as the Red Sea Development and AlUla — have not been cut back, he said.

“We executed our exact strategy all of 2020; we didn’t cut back. He (the crown prince) was brave,” Inzerillo added. “So now as a result of it, the major giga-projects in the Kingdom are on time and on budget.”

Some of the big projects will “need another budget cycle” to determine the right mix of equity and new investment required, but he is confident that the overall investment will be met by government funds, investment from the Saudi private sector and foreign investment.

Some tourism experts have questioned the overall strategy, which seeks to attract 100 million visits by the end of the decade to a variety of new leisure and cultural attractions, but Inzerillo said the projects are not in competition. “They’re very intelligently crafted to complement each other,” he added.

The reason for the big number of new tourism projects, he said, is that Saudi Arabia is trying to compete with other recognized global travel centers — such as Singapore and European countries — within a short space of time.

 

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Inzerillo conceded that there has been an effect on the number of people visiting Saudi Arabia because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, but he estimated that it has been proportionately less than other big tourist destinations such as France and the US. “We’re coming off a low base,” he said.

In line with the new budget, the DGDA has lifted the estimate for the number of visitors it hopes to attract. It now expects 27 million visits and 100,000 residents by 2030.

Inzerillo said these estimates are achievable, and he took encouragement from the number of people applying for the new tourism visa — 55,000 per week — before the COVID-19 restrictions came into effect.

Diriyah is aimed at both Saudi domestic visitors and foreign tourists, seeking to capitalize on the rich historical legacy of the region.

 

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Inzerillo is convinced that it can take its place among the other great cultural attractions of the world.

“It is to Saudi Arabia what the Acropolis is to the Greeks, what the Colosseum is to Rome, what Machu Picchu is to Peruvians,” he said.

“So when people come to the Gulf, they’re going to want to see where it all started — the home of the House of Saud.”

Inzerillo, who trained in Las Vegas and went on to international projects in South Africa, the UAE and elsewhere, believes that the absence of alcohol in Saudi Arabia will make little difference to its attractiveness to tourists.

When global focus groups were asked about their priorities for tourism in the Kingdom, the non-availability of alcohol in the food and beverage mix was not in the top five concerns, he said.

 

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“People were astonished by the beauty of the Kingdom, and by the warmth of the Saudi people,” he added.

Originally from Brooklyn in New York City, Inzerillo is enthusiastic about the quality of life in Saudi Arabia for him and other Western expatriates, who make up about 20 percent of the DGDA workforce.

 

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“But the No. 1 thing that people like is civility — the fact that you’re treated warmly and kindly, and the great thing about the Kingdom right now as a society — it’s optimistic, it’s positive,” he said.

Inzerillo also gave some insight into the decision-making style of the crown prince, whom he described as a “supercharged CEO.”

Inzerillo said: “He’s very methodical, asking, ‘What’s your process? How did you study this issue? Who did you study it with? Did you study it with the world’s best? What did you learn, and what options are you bringing to me?’

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“So when you leave a meeting with an approval, he doesn’t stop. One day, two days, five days later, you’ll get a call from him. ‘If you connect that with that, doesn’t it make Diriyah better?’ ‘Yes sir, we didn’t see that’.”

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Twitter: @frankkanedubai


‘SAMAI’ initiative has enabled over 330,000 citizens to use AI, says SDAIA chief

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‘SAMAI’ initiative has enabled over 330,000 citizens to use AI, says SDAIA chief

  • Launched in September 2024, SAMAI targets citizens across all age groups and professional backgrounds.

RIYADH: Some 334,000 Saudis have so far have benefitted from the government program aimed at empowering citizens with AI capabilities, according to the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, or SDAIA.

During the keynote session of the Non-Profit Sector Forum in Education and Training 2025 in Riyadh on July 2, SDAIA chief Abdullah Alghamdi also said that partnerships the authority had forged with other government agencies have positioned the Kingdom first globally in empowering women in AI and second globally in community awareness.

Launched in September 2024 at the Global AI Summit (GAIN), the SAMAI initiative targets citizens across all age groups and professional backgrounds.

The program is a joint undertaking of the SDAIA, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, according to SPA.

Alghamdi also cited several national initiatives that resulted from this collaboration, including the National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence, “ATHKA Competition.” 

More than 260,000 male and female students from intermediate and secondary schools participated, with 10,000 advancing to the final stage, he said. 

One key initiative cited by the SDAIA chief was the  “Road to ATHKA,” which trained more than 570,000 students on artificial intelligence concepts.

Yet another initiative was the “Future Intelligence Programmers” program, which has successfully trained over 10,000 teachers.

The SDAIA and Education ministry had likewise jointly established the Center for Excellence in Education, "designed to institutionalize technological integration within the education sector, sustain future-oriented initiatives, and leverage AI to enhance learning outcomes."

 


Saudi crown prince receives UAE national security advisor

Updated 04 July 2025
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Saudi crown prince receives UAE national security advisor

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The crown prince and Shiekh Tahnoun, who is also the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, discussed relations between the Kingdom and the UAE and ways to enhance them.


Saudi authorities close 996 establishments over health violations 

Updated 03 July 2025
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Saudi authorities close 996 establishments over health violations 

RIYADH: A total of 5,912 inspections covering 4,307 establishments were carried out across the Kingdom by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in April and May.

A total of 996 were shut down due to various violations, while 136 were closed for operating without required licenses and for product safety breaches.

Additionally, production lines at 127 establishments were halted and 1,750 types of products were seized.

The initiative is part of the SFDA’s efforts to ensure compliance with approved regulations and to uphold high quality standards.

At one food establishment, inspectors found raw materials of an unknown origin, employees without health certificates, the absence of a tracking system and inadequate measures being taken to prevent cross-contamination. These led to the closure of the business and the implementation of necessary legal measures.
 


Need for global collaboration to fight drought stressed

Updated 03 July 2025
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Need for global collaboration to fight drought stressed

  • Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

RIYADH: As part of the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of desertification, improve air quality and achieve its sustainable development goals, Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development.

Held in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, the four-day event saw the participation of 70 countries, including attendance by local and international ministers, environmental organizations and financial development entities.

Among the participants was Saudi Deputy Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture Osama Faqeeha.

Faqeeha, who is also the adviser to the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties Presidency, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts and innovation to address the escalating threat of climate change that resulted in complicated and devastating environmental issues such as drought.

Faqeeha said: “The Riyadh Drought Resilience Partnership will serve as a global facilitator, a ‘one-stop shop’ for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response after drought hits to proactive preparedness.

“We also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world.”

The deputy minister said that solutions should be applied through strategies and mechanisms to ensure enhanced resilience in the areas that were mostly affected by drought and climate change globally.

He praised the partnership with the International Drought Resilience Alliance, a global coalition that aims to build resilience against droughts and climate change. 

He said it was fundamental to bridging the gap between the political and financial aspects to ensure the achievement of long-term sustainable development objectives.

The discussion highlighted some of the national efforts and strategies for environmental sustainability, including efforts by the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Islamic Development Bank and the CAF Development Bank of Latin America.


Saudi Shoura Council members visit Turkish parliament

Updated 03 July 2025
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Saudi Shoura Council members visit Turkish parliament

ANKARA: Members of the Saudi-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Saudi Shoura Council met with their counterparts from Turkiye during a visit to the country.

During the meeting, held in Ankara, the two sides reviewed ways to further boost their relations and discussed other topics of common interest.

The Saudi delegation also met with Numan Kurtulmus, president of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.