JEDDAH: A major sustainable tourism project that will promote jobs while protecting the local environment and wildlife has been launched by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve in the Kingdom’s northwest.
The PIF on Tuesday announced the launch of the Wadi Al-Disah Development Project, which is expected to become one of the Kingdom’s most environmentally diverse tourist attractions thanks to the site’s moderate climate, distinctive mountainous terrain and flowing springs.
The fund will establish a company to develop the project in accordance with international best practices regarding environmental conservation and sustainable development.
The new company will contribute to the creation of sustainable tourism and related job opportunities, supporting the Kingdom’s economic diversification and unlocking new assets in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement of the project follows the launch of the Amaala luxury tourism development in September, which will be the focal point of the tourism ecosystem within the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve.
The location, between NEOM, the Red Sea Development Project, Amaala and Al-Ula projects, will ensure a diverse and unique tourism offering, and offer a compelling investment opportunity for the private sector.
Wadi Al-Disah is situated in the northwest section of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve, southwest of Tabuk.
The word “Al-Disah” means a valley of palm trees. The surrounding mountains and rock formations are expected to be popular with climbers of all levels. Other attractions include archaeological sites such as facades of Nabataean tombs, and the remains of walls containing Nabataean and Arabic writings in Kufic script.
The Wadi Al-Disah Development Project will promote economic diversification and create investment opportunities for the private sector.
The project aims to contribute to the development of the tourism sector in the Kingdom, preserve cultural and environmental heritage, and achieve sustainability in line with Vision 2030.
Ecotourism project protects wildlife, promotes jobs in Saudi Arabia
Ecotourism project protects wildlife, promotes jobs in Saudi Arabia
- The Wadi Al-Disah Development Project will promote economic diversification and create investment opportunities for the private sector
Saudi woman guide showcases Riyadh’s history on free walking tours
- Fatimah Abusrair runs her tours on a voluntary tip-based model
- Focus on storytelling, personal experiences, she tells Arab News
RIYADH: A Saudi woman is leading free walking tours through Riyadh’s traditional neighborhoods, blending cultural exploration with a personal, story-driven approach.
Fatimah Abusrair, a communication and marketing consultant — and a licensed guide — told Arab News she sees a growing interest in informal, community-led tours.
“I can see that people care about doing activities and interacting with locals in unofficial ways,” she said.
Abusrair runs the tours on a voluntary tip-based model, and uses a storytelling approach which she says allows her to connect more personally with participants.
“To meet the local person and speak with them, that’s part of the experience,” she said. “I speak about history and culture, but I’m also speaking about myself, my life, and how I was raised.”
She views her approach as a way to strengthen the image of Saudi Arabia and offer visitors a more grounded understanding of local life.
“It increases positivity and understanding,” she added. “They’re not getting the information only from formal resources, but they’re getting exactly the same information from the locals.”
The idea of a tip-based model, Abusrair said, was meant to make the experience more accessible.
“You truly do not want to pay that much money,” she said. “So the idea of a tip-based (model), it means that they will pay me based on their budget.”
Lawrence Eta, a Canadian participant in a recent tour, spoke about how the experience helped to bridge a cultural gap.
“For many visitors and newcomers, Saudi Arabia is still unfamiliar territory,” he said. “A personalized tour helps bridge that gap. It gives travelers a chance to experience the city beyond the headlines.”
Unlike traditional tours that focus on facts and timelines, Eta said this experience allowed for genuine connection.
“This kind of authentic, personal tour adds real depth to tourism in Saudi Arabia,” he said. “It shifts the focus from sightseeing to storytelling, from just visiting places to connecting with people.”
He added that the experience was especially meaningful because it was led by someone who lives in the city and speaks from personal experience.
“A personalized walking tour in Riyadh feels truly authentic when led by someone who brings it to life through personal stories, rather than just historical facts.”
Eta said walking alongside people from different countries all curious and open to learning, created a unique sense of community.
“The tour becomes a shared memory, not just a checklist of landmarks,” he said.
As Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues to grow, Abusrair sees an opportunity for more community-driven initiatives.
“There are a lot of tourists coming,” she said. “But there aren’t enough guides yet. Everything is new in the tourism industry for us in Saudi Arabia.”
Tourism is a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy. One of the initiative’s key goals is to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil by turning it into a global tourism hub.
While Vision 2030 initially aimed to attract 100 million visitors annually by 2030, the Kingdom surpassed that milestone seven years ahead of schedule. The new target has now been raised to 150 million visitors per year.
Abusrair said that being a local guide contributes to how Saudi Arabia is seen.
“It will support promoting Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination because (tourists hear) people speak,” she said.
Music festival celebrates Franco-Saudi ties
RIYADH: A music festival celebrating the cultural ties between France and Saudi Arabia will take place in Riyadh, Alkhobar and Jeddah from June 20-26.
Organized by the French embassy in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise, the Saudi Music Hub, Unstable, Hayy Jameel and MDL Beast, the Fete de la Musique will use a shared love of music to bring diverse audiences together.
Since its inception in France in 1982, the Fete de la Musique has evolved into a global celebration and now takes place in more than 120 countries. True to its founding principle of making music accessible to all, free of charge, it has become a powerful platform for cultural dialogue.
The 2025 edition features a diverse and eclectic line-up, highlighting the vibrancy of both the French and Saudi music scenes.
French artists such as Karimouche, a bold, socially engaged voice in word and song, and DJ SONGE, a producer known for immersive Afro-futuristic electronic sets, will share the stage with Saudi talent such as Kosh, a beatmaker who fuses traditional rhythms with deep electronic bass, and Seera, a rising star on the local rock scene.
Each host city will offer a distinctive atmosphere.
Riyadh starts the celebrations on June 20 at Unstable, a hybrid venue at the heart of the Saudi urban music scene. Alkhobar followed on June 21 at the Saudi Music Hub, a space dedicated to music education and performance that offers a more intimate setting. Jeddah will bring the festivities to a close on June 25-26 with performances by powerful female artists at Hayy Jameel, a cultural hub.
More than the concerts it features, the event also fosters cultural exchange, artistic dialogue and discovery, creating lasting connections between French and Saudi artists and audiences.
Four years with a company counts as loyalty in the modern job market, HR summit hears
- Delegates at Human Resources Summit and Expo in Riyadh hear generational diversity and differing views on career progression are challenges that must be addressed
- Experts discussed the effects of AI on the job market and explored strategies businesses need to adopt to ‘future-proof’ talent and navigate changing work landscapes
RIYADH: An employee who remains in the same role for four years is considered loyal in today’s job market, the audience at a human resources conference in Riyadh heard during a panel discussion on Tuesday.
The comment, at the Human Resources Summit and Expo, came from Syed Azharudin, director of learning and organizational development at logistical services company Ajex, who cited a recent study into workforce trends. Generational diversity is a factor that has to be addressed, he added.
“The biggest challenge for the HR industry is that you have different generations working together, like Gen X, baby boomers, millennials, Gen Z, and soon Gen Alpha, so you cannot have a blanket approach,” Azharudin said.
People from the most recent generations are more likely to be “job-hoppers,” he added; a study by global tech consultancy FDM Group found that Generation Z respondents were 13 per cent more likely than their non-Gen Z counterparts to view their current role as a stepping stone to a better career.
In other sessions, HR experts discussed the effects of artificial intelligence on the job market, and explored the strategies companies need to adopt in their attempts to “future-proof” talent and navigate ever-changing work landscapes. As the rapidly evolving technology continues to dominate headlines, they considered a hot-button question: What would the future look like if human labor was replaced by AI?
“We’re not going to lose (our jobs) but we also need to make sure that we go efficiently and with innovative ways to utilize such tools,” said Eid Alkhaldi, succession management director at the Saudi Telcom Company.
During another discussion, Nada Al-Hassan, the Saudi Ministry of Investment’s director of training and development, spoke about ways to advance inclusive leadership in the region.
“There are a lot of success stories and a lot of initiatives in all governmental sectors (in Saudi Arabia),” she said, highlighting in particular the Vision 2030 Human Resources Development Program and the Saudization program Tawteen.
The Human Resources Summit and Expo began on June 15 and continues until June 19.
Saudia flight from Jeddah to Jakarta diverted after bomb threat, lands safely
- Flight SV5276, bound for Jakarta, was rerouted to a different airport in Indonesia after an email claimed there was an explosive device on board
- The aircraft landed safely at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, where passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft and nobody was hurt
RIYADH: Saudia has confirmed that all passengers and crew are safe after a flight from Jeddah to Jakarta made an emergency landing at another airport in Indonesia, Al Arabiya News Channel reported on Tuesday.
The flight was forced to divert after an email threat claimed there was a bomb on board, a Saudia spokesperson said.
Abdullah Al-Shahrani, the airline’s general manager of corporate communications, told Al Arabiya that in response to the security alert, Flight SV5276 was rerouted to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan as a precaution.
The plane landed there safely and all passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft without incident and nobody was hurt, he added. Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. Al-Shahrani said passenger safety remains Saudia’s top priority and the airline was working to help passengers continue their journeys.
In a statement to Arab News, Saudia confirmed: “In response to a security alert received in flight, Saudia diverted Flight SV5276, operating from Jeddah to Jakarta, to Kualanamu International Airport in Indonesia as a precautionary measure.
“The aircraft landed safely, and all guests and crew disembarked without incident. Local authorities conducted standard checks shortly after landing, and have cleared the aircraft for continued operation.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain Saudia’s highest priority. Full care and support have been provided and onward travel arrangements are being made."
UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation
- The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference in New York
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and France, co-chairs of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question, joined with the chairs of the conference’s working groups in issuing a joint statement on Tuesday expressing “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference, underscoring “the validity of warnings about the fragility of the situation” and the urgent need to “restore calm, respect international law, and strengthen diplomatic action.”
Despite the setback, the group reaffirmed their “full commitment to the conference’s objectives” and pledged to “ensure the continuity of its work and the achievement of its goals,” SPA added.
They added that “the co-chairs of the working groups will announce the date of the conference's roundtables soon,” with the aim of generating “clear and coordinated international commitments” to advance the implementation of a two-state solution.
“In these critical circumstances,” the statement continued, “we must redouble our efforts calling for respect for international law and the sovereignty of states, and to promote peace, freedom, and dignity for all peoples of the region.”
The group also reiterated its “unwavering support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza” and called for a “just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue,” affirming that regional stability and security hinge on a lasting peace.
