TOURISM

DECARBONISATION OF SAUDI TOURISM UNDERWAY

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is going emissions-free. Saudia, the kingdom’s flag carrier, and US-based Lilium N.V., which is developing an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet, announced a memorandum of understanding to purchase 100 Lilium Jets.

With zero operating emissions, the Lilium Jet will enable sustainable and time-saving travel. Saudi will launch a state-of-the-art service with the purchase of 100 Lilium Jets, including new electric point-to-point connections as well as feeder connections to Saudia’s hubs for business class guests. Lilium Jet’s flexible cabin architecture is expected to enable a range of spacious interior configurations that are well suited to the needs of the premium market, which Lilium believes can help drive the early adoption of eVTOL aircraft required to scale.

“Saudia, building on its commitment to be an industry leading airline committed to sustainability, consider our eVTOL network project with Lilium to be an undertaking of great significance for the Kingdom’s aviation industry and will contribute effectively to spurring sustainable tourism in Saudi using zero-emission aviation,” said Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy, chief executive officer of Saudia.

Lilium is creating a sustainable and accessible mode of high-speed, regional transportation for people and goods. Using the Lilium Jet, an all-electric vertical take-off and landing jet, offering leading capacity, low noise and high performance with zero operating emissions, Lilium is accelerating the decarbonisation of air travel.

Working with aerospace, technology and infrastructure leaders, and with planned launch networks announced in Germany, the United States, and Brazil, Lilium’s 800-plus strong team includes approximately 450 aerospace engineers, and a leadership team responsible for delivering some of the most successful aircraft in aviation history. Founded in 2015, Lilium’s headquarters and manufacturing facilities are in Munich, Germany, with teams based across Europe and the US.

“The airline intends to meet a growing demand for regional air mobility and offer our valued guests a superior on-board experience. The potential for such an airborne transit network is limitless,” Koshy added. The proposed arrangement between Saudia and Lilium is subject to the parties completing a feasibility assessment, agreeing to commercial terms, and entering into definitive agreements after meeting certain conditions.

FIFA WORLD CUP

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has bounced back by 60% compared to levels seen in 2019, and managed to recover lost jobs. The tourism sector is expected to contribute 10% to the GDP, attracting 100 million tourists each year, and positioning the kingdom as one of the world’s sought-after destinations, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 goals.

The country is also launching hundreds of extra flights to Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place in November and December. Interest is sky-high as Saudi Arabia is placed in Group C of the tournament with Argentina, Mexico, and Poland. Qatar Airways also plans to operate a total of 55 flights from Dammam to Doha to shuttle passengers during the event. The Qatari carrier is currently operating more than 100 weekly flights to five Saudi cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Dammam, and Qassim. Fans of the Saudi Arabia team can book their flights from any of these cities to Doha and cheer for their team.

 

WTTC HOST

The 22nd World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit will take place in Riyadh in late November. WTTC’s annual Global Summit is an influential travel and tourism event, attended by industry leaders and key government representatives keen towards aligning efforts to support the sector’s recovery.

The summit, running under the theme "Travel for a Better Future", will discuss several important priority topics, including accelerating the pace of the tourism's recovery around the world, enhancing the sector's resilience and its ability to face various challenges in the future, as well as ways to ensure the sector's sustainability.

New tourism projects are also enhancing the kingdom’s tourism profile. In October, the Tourism Development Fund signed a finance agreement with Dana Bay Tourism Company to contribute to a SAR 644 million real estate fund. The deal will see the development of a mixed-use beach resort project on the Eastern Province, featuring villas managed by IHG, represented by the InterContinental brand. The project also contains several facilities such as Dana Beach Walk, comprising retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Discovery Island will be developed to add an artistic dimension containing a museum and various art galleries, in addition to artisanal workshops. 

Meanwhile, The Red Sea Development Company, the company building sustainable tourist projects on the country’s east coast, has rebranded as Red Sea Global and announced multiple new projects underway in the kingdom and subsidiary brands set to be launched. The developer is overseeing Red Sea and Amaala luxury tourism projects, expected to be launched in 2023. The company’s mandate has expanded to oversee upwards of a dozen projects stretching the length of the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, with the potential to expand beyond the kingdom in the future.