KHALEEJ TIMES, Saturday, Feb 19, 2022 | Rajab 18, 1443
Saudi Tourism Authority and Emirates Airline sign strategic tourism MoU
Emirates,Saudi Arabia:
The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and Emirates have
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost inbound tourism into Saudi
Arabia and attract new segments of travellers across the airline’s extensive
global network.
The new agreement aims to capitalise on the airline’s global network of over 120
cities to raise awareness and amplify the Saudi Arabian experience for leisure
travelers to come and visit the Kingdom’s unique attractions.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and board member of
the Saudi Tourism Authority and Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ chief commercial officer.
Adil Al Ghaith, SVP of Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Central
Asia, and Muhammad Bassrawi, VP of the Saudi Tourism Authority were the
signatories of the MoU, at a ceremony in Riyadh.
Also present at the signing were other senior executives from both
organisations. The MoU underscores the importance of partnerships within the
travel eco-system and the role different stakeholders play to support a more
resilient recovery.
Under the MoU, Emirates together with the Saudi Tourism Authority will explore
opportunities to jointly collaborate on key initiatives to enhance the Kingdom’s
global tourism competitiveness, including promotional activity and travel trade
support across key global source markets to convert interest into bookings,
sharing insights around market and customer trends, amongst other initiatives.
Through the strategic partnership the airline will also explore opportunities to
align its schedules from key source markets in the Emirates network to its
gateways in Saudi Arabia, providing greater connectivity and convenience for its
customers and further developing inbound tourism arrivals. Emirates and the
Saudi Tourism Authority will also evaluate ways to enhance the travel experience
that cultivates a more supportive visitor infrastructure for those journeying to
Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina, the airline’s four gateways.
"The memorandum of understanding signed between the Saudi Tourism Authority and
Emirates Airline will enable us to reach over 120 destinations around the world
and attract tourists from these destinations to various Saudi destinations,"
said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority.
"The Saudi Tourism Authority continues its efforts to attract tourists, promote
tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia by targeting the most important major
markets in the GCC, the region and the world, and forging important partnerships
to achieve the goals of the Authority and the aspirations of the Saudi Tourism
Ecosystem, which is in harmony with Vision 2030," he said.
Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, said: "We’re proud to
strategically partner with the Saudi Tourism Authority and support its efforts
to unlock the immense potential and attractions of the Kingdom’s vibrant
culture, heritage and stunning biodiversity to the world. KSA has positioned
itself as a must-visit destination and this is just the beginning. We have a
shared objective to contribute to the Kingdom’s broader tourism plans to attract
a diverse range of visitors, strengthen awareness of its iconic sites, and make
them more accessible through enhanced connectivity. We look forward to growing
our relationship with the STA and to positively impact the Kingdom’s tourism
growth."
The partnership between STA and Emirates is part of the Authority’s efforts to
build a framework of cooperation and integration with its partners in the
private sector. This framework will support the wider travel trade in promoting
tourist destinations in Saudi to travelers from all over the world and
developing products services that enable visitors to experience the country.
Saudi’s diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage and vibrant entertainment
sector, all delivered with the unparalleled hospitality of the Saudi people, are
a compelling offer for global travelers.
Emirates has been facilitating tourism and trade in the Kingdom since 1989,
developing its operations to Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Dammam and today serves the
four gateways with 53 weekly flights, including A380 services to Jeddah. The
airline has also carried more than 25 million passengers to and from the Kingdom
since the start of its services.