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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's leaders have offered their condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over a deadly explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port, near Bandar Abbas, that killed at least 25 people and injured more than 700 others.
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a cable of condolences to the Iranian president, families of the victims, and the Iranian people.
They also wished the injured a speedy recovery, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Riyadh: The ninth Media Oasis, a flagship initiative of the Saudi Ministry of Media, began in Riyadh on Tuesday, coinciding with the visit to the Kingdom by US President Donald Trump.
The two-day event at Riyadh’s Green Halls venue is showcasing new media technologies and includes a number of multi-zoned exhibitions within a 2,000-square-meter space, organizers said. It also aims to provide a dynamic platform supporting extensive coverage of Trump’s visit, and highlight Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving global image, they added.
More than 2,500 local and international journalists and other media professionals were expected to attend, making it one of the largest media-related gatherings in the region. It is held in collaboration with the Quality of Life Program, one of the key pillars of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan for national development and economic diversification.
The event features an “Oasis Valley” zone set up to provide live coverage of the US president’s visit. Another prominent feature is the “Oasis Exhibition” zone, which offers in-depth information and insights about the transformative initiatives launched under Vision 2030.
There is also a focus on ongoing collaborative projects between the Kingdom and the US in sectors such as infrastructure and tourism. A dedicated exhibition marking 90 years of Saudi-American diplomatic relations traces the shared history of the two nations, highlighting pivotal moments in the relationship and shedding light on the cultural, political and economic foundations that have helped shape decades of cooperation.
In addition, four advanced studios have been created on-site to allow local and international TV networks to provide uninterrupted, professional-grade reporting.
Government agencies and other key Vision 2030 stakeholders actively involved in the event include the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition, the NEOM megacity project, New Murabba Development Company, Qiddiya Investment Company, and the official team behind Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
RIYADH: An initiative supporting the next generation of female talent in Saudi Arabia’s creative marketing industry was launched by Athar Saudi Festival of Creativity in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The Maheerah Network is a year-round program focused on training, leadership development and professional networking.
Adel Baraja, CEO of Publicis Groupe KSA, which is behind Maheerah, said that the program was designed to be led by women already working in the industry.
“Maheerah Network is an expert-led program by women in the industry, supporting and growing businesses in Saudi Arabia, and helping educate women pursuing careers in communication,” he told Arab News.
Baraja said that there was a need to develop creative strategists through practical experience and professional growth, noting that many students graduating in fields such as marketing and design still faced challenges translating their academic knowledge into strategic creative work.
“We need a lot more creative strategists for both men and women in this case. And you cannot graduate as a creative strategist; you have to grow that skill.”
During a panel titled “Owning your voice: Authentic Female Leadership in Saudi Arabia,” held at the launch event, Nadin Al-Alami, business lead at MSL KSA, emphasized the importance of having authentic leadership in the communications sector.
“It’s a very dynamic industry and so flexible, and without authentic leadership, you cannot survive, especially that most of the workforce is Generation Z,” she said.
Al-Alami said that managing Gen Z professionals required a purpose-driven and trust-based approach.
“You cannot just impose things on Gen Z without having them believe in your purpose and your vision, without connecting them, without having them trust you.”
Al-Alami also underlined the role of cultural intelligence in building internal culture and driving progress.
“Cultural intelligence is bringing all those authentic values and approach to dealing with our people to create a very positive culture and without this, there is no way forward.”
Al-Alami cited Saudi Arabia as an example of a national vision built on innovation and growth.
“The vision of Saudi is all about innovation, growth and standing out, and you can’t achieve that without the right culture. It’s a must.”
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the launch, Nada Hakeem, CEO and co-founder of Wetheloft, said that hiring trends in the creative sector had shifted, particularly among younger professionals.
“Today, most of the talent is from Generation Z. They are not just looking for a job, but for purpose as well,” Hakeem told Arab News.
This generational shift had pushed companies to rethink traditional job structures.
“This has made it necessary for companies to have something bigger than just the tasks employees are doing,” she said.
Hakeem added that women were increasingly seen as valuable contributors in the creative sector, with companies actively seeking to hire more female talent.
“Women in Saudi Arabia are not just getting opportunities, but we feel a little bit more privileged, and companies are actually actively seeking more women in Saudi.”
She said that empathy played a key role in the creative field, particularly in marketing and communication.
“I think women are more empathetic by nature, and empathy in the creative industry is essential. When you understand the needs of others, you can cater to them better. And this is what marketing and communication is all about — understanding the needs and the wants and the problems, and solving problems for others.”
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is increasingly seen as a country of impressive mountains, stunning Red Sea islands, and a hospitable culture, with aspirations to make tourism as significant as oil to its economy by 2030, according to Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the minister of tourism.
Al-Khateeb made his remarks on Tuesday during a panel at the Saudi–US Investment Forum 2025 in Riyadh, which included Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, the Saudi minister of municipalities and housing, and was chaired by Arab News’ Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas.
The minister said that the tourism sector had come a long way since the 2016 launch of Vision 2030, which established a plan to reduce the country’s dependence on oil and create a diverse economy.
The tourism and hospitality sectors have experienced a significant increase in visitors, rising from 50 million domestic and international tourists in 2019 to 115 million in 2024, which surpasses the target of 100 million tourists set for the industry under Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia was one of the 10 most-visited countries globally in 2024, receiving 30 million international visitors, Al-Khateeb said.
He added: “I’m excited. We are full of energy to build (this) new sector to unlock the potential we have in our great country and to share the beautiful culture with the visitors coming from all around the world.
“By 2030, the tourism sector will be, next to oil, the highest contributor to our economy.”
Saudi Arabia had been viewed for decades as a country that mainly produced crude oil — making up 85 to 90 percent of its gross domestic product — and boasted hot weather and sand dunes, he said.
However, since 2016, significant changes have occurred. Oil now accounts for nearly 55 percent of the country’s GDP and, since 2019, the Kingdom has opened its borders to nearly 65 countries with electronic visas in operation, the minister added.
The spectacular mountain ranges of Asir and the beauty of AlUla are both attracting visitors, while Riyadh offered its own experiences, along with the Red Sea and the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Al-Khateeb said that well-educated, young Saudis were essential for the growth of the tourism sector, which had increased its workforce from 2 percent to 7 percent in less than a decade.
The ministry aims to welcome 50 million international tourists by 2030, placing the Kingdom among the top five most-visited countries, he added. It also plans to increase the sector’s GDP contribution from the current 5 percent to 10 percent in the same timeframe.
Al-Khateeb said: “We have created (a tourism) sector that will satisfy the different travelers of different segments who are coming for business or leisure and entertainment, or people who are coming for religious purposes to visit the two holy cities.”
The minister noted that the tourism sector had adopted best practices from the US, a leading country in the industry, attracting conferences, entertainment, and airline services.
He added: “We are working closely with our friends and partners in the US. We are sending young Saudis to get the best education in the US and the best vocational training (in tourism).”
RIYADH: The CEO of Uber announced Tuesday that autonomous vehicles will soon be seen in Saudi Arabia.
“You will see autonomous vehicles in Saudi Arabia this year”, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told a panel at the Saudi-US Investment Forum on Tuesday. “It’s something that we are very focused on.”
He said the vehicles would provide a much safer environment both for the passengers and other road users.
“Autonomous holds incredible potential for us,” he added. “First of all, it represents a safer street, as the autonomous driver isn’t distracted, isn’t going be texting while they’re driving, etc. And it’s a driver that continues to learn from all the experience of all the miles driven all over all over the world.”
“Ultimately, autonomous will not only be safer, but will also be a cheaper form of transportation.”
“We are now working with 18 autonomous partners... to make sure that autonomous technology are introduced in a safe matter.”
He also discussed how the Kingdom represented one of Uber’s top growing markets.
“First of all, the Kingdom represents one of our top growing markets,” he added.
He said there were 140,000 drivers who were now Saudi nationals on the platform, 4 million riders, and he said they operated in 20 cities across the Kingdom.
On the competition with other transport services he added: “Uber and public transit really do complement each other. There’s a perception that to some extent Uber competes with public transit, but actually our top competitor is personal car ownership and what we see in cities that have a strong public transit infrastructure, we see people using their cars less and Uber becomes a first mile and last mile solution to public transits.”
“So, for example, with the Riyadh Metro system… we offer discounted rides for first mile and last mile ... what we’re trying to then build is a lifestyle that essentially complements public transit.”
This session on Saudi Arabia’s GIGA projects, an in-depth conversation on the next chapter of national transformation, was moderated by Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas.
Saudi Arabia has committed itself to an abundance of giga projects as part of Vision 2030 in the Kingdom’s ongoing modernization.
One such project is Diriyah, the birthplace of Saudi Arabia.
Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah company, spoke on preserving the Kingdom’s history, and the ancestral home of Al-Saud, the center of cultural heritage and diplomacy,
Celebrating that the project was running to schedule and on budget, he added: “We just welcomed to the UNESCO World Heritage site this week our three millionth visitor. We have 45,000 workers on their job now. We are very honored and pleased to say that right now we’re doing business with 83 American companies.”
Michael Dyke, CEO of the New Murabba Development Project, a vast cube-shaped building in Riyadh forming another part of the Vision 2030 project, said it would be one of the world’s iconic buildings and landmarks.
Dyke said the New Murabba in Riyadh, which is home to the Mukaab structure, would span 2 million square meters of floor space.
“It is one of the greatest, largest structures ever known,” Dyke said.
Drawing a comparison in size to entertainment MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, that seats almost 18,000 people, Dyke said the Mukaab would be 22 times larger.
“So when people enter the Mukaab, they will enter another world, there will be holograms and there will be strong AI driving through the whole of the facility.”
“The Mukaab will come on line in 2030 onwards, when people come to Riyadh they will see something new, something different. It would be another fantastic place that will complement the amazing projects already happening in the Kingdom.”
Another massive project being created as part of the Kingdom’s development is NEOM – a vast city on the Red Sea coast.
Rayan Fayez, Deputy CEO of NEOM, said the 26,500 square kilometer project would be the size of Massachusetts.
“Building a city and a region of this scale, requires significant infrastructure,” Fayez said.
“When we talk about some of the themes that we are spending our time and effort on, infrastructure is a big one. So whether its digital infrastructure, 500 kilometers of fiber has already been laid, a data center being built, power and utility infrastructure already have solar, and wind farms up. In addition to 194 kilometers of water pipeline, food infrastructure, greenhouse is being developed because NEOM is not just a real-estate development initiative, it’s an economy building.”
“It’s an 8.4 billion investment, a joint venture between Neom Aqua Power and Air products, which is, of course, a US company with a significant investment coming into Neom, developing what will become Green Hydrogen Project.”
John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, in terms of investment opportunities he said they ere with numbers American companies and hospitality brands, including Marriot, Hayat and Hilton.
MAKKAH: Kidana Development Co., the master developer of the holy sites and the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, has implemented a project to provide shade and cooling in the courtyards surrounding the Namira Mosque in Arafat.
The project will be implemented during the Hajj season to help moderate the climate — especially given the intense heat during that time — and to facilitate the movement of pilgrims as they perform their rituals, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The project, covering 85,000 square meters, includes planting 2,000 trees in the eastern courtyards, installing complete infrastructure for water and electricity networks, constructing 320 canopies, and setting up 350 misting fans.
Additionally, the company has completed the planting of 20,000 trees across 290,000 square meters as part of the Green Holy Sites initiative, in line with the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to expand green areas and improve the environment.
