Ericsson showcased some of its latest demos from the Mobile World Congress 2017 at STC Future Digitalization Expo (FUDEX 2017) that was held last week in Riyadh.
The event provided a unique platform for Ericsson to demonstrate the company’s journey to 5G technology.
It was inaugurated by Mohammad Al-Suwaiyel, minister of communications and information technology, together with Khaled Biyari, STC Group CEO, accompanied by the company’s top executives.
During the two-day event, Ericsson carried out several demos, including live 5G trial, IOT “Smart Parking,” Robotic Lego, 5G Ready Core & Network Slicing, in addition to HDS and Datacenters.
Ali Eid, head of Ericsson Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine, said: “STC FUDEX 2017 was a great opportunity for Ericsson to be a part of an important industry event in the region, one where we were able to present our unprecedented solutions to the industry.
Our demonstrations were positively and highly perceived and in line with STC’s transformation toward digitalization.

Swissotel Hotels & Resorts has opened its second hotel in the Kingdom — the 1,624-room Swissotel Al-Maqam Makkah.
Set in the heart of the holy city and overlooking the Masjid Al-Haram in the Abraj Al-Bait complex, the hotel is designed for today’s smart traveler, combining intuitive service with sophisticated, locally-inspired surroundings. The hotel is also the only property in Makkah to have two entrances within the complex — from Um Al-Qura Tunnel and Ibrahim Al-Khalil Street.
Sami Nasser, chief operating officer, luxury brands, Middle East for AccorHotels, said: “We are delighted to open our second Swissotel hotel in the holy city and begin welcoming pilgrims and guests. The arrival marks the addition of the fourth hotel in Makkah with a further five branded luxury and upper upscale properties in development in neighboring Jeddah and Riyadh. We are extremely proud to offer incredible variety and choice for travelers to the region.”
Swissotel Al-Maqam Makkah connects guests to a world of style and choice. Most of the guestrooms and suites, which range from 32 to 84 square meters in size, provide direct views to the Haram area and Kaaba.
The hotel also offers a variety of restaurants and dining experiences.
Al Khayraat, a casual all-day dining restaurant which seats upwards of 2,500 guests in one seating, is one of the largest restaurants in the world. It offers a variety of cuisines including Mediterranean, Indian, Chinese and Far East Asian as well as traditional Arabic delicacies.
Masharif Tea Lounge, which serves a selection of classic oriental and worldwide culinary options, has unobstructed panoramic views of the holy city.
Swissotel Al-Maqam Makkah is flanked by four other properties already within the AccorHotels portfolio — Raffles Makkah Palace, Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower, and Pullman ZamZam Makkah, in addition to Swissotel Makkah, the first Swissotel in Makkah which opened in 2012.
In total, the AccorHotels properties in Makkah boast a combined number of rooms in excess of 6,000.
A total of 38 AccorHotels properties are under development across the Kingdom.

Tour operators, tourism associations and tourist attractions will showcase their latest products and innovations at the four-day Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF) this year.
Exhibitors at the event — to be held from April 7 to 10 at Riyadh’s Al-Faisaliah Hotel — will present digital innovations such as Virtual Reality (VR) goggles, information on new youth travel destinations, events and festivals.
An array of holiday packages, destinations promotion offers and value-added discounts and bonus will be on offer at the fair.
More than 50 percent of the Middle Eastern population is aged 18 to 34, surrounded by hi-tech gadgets. And for 40 percent of GCC travelers, the social media is the inspiration when planning a trip. Travel queries from the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region grew 33 percent last year.
There were over 310 million YouTube video views each day in the region. Travel queries on YouTube grew 22 percent year-on-year by December 2014.
In Saudi Arabia, 81 percent of leisure travelers report having watched an online video to decide their next tourist destination.
Capturing the millennial market has been the motto of tourist destinations and hoteliers for a while, and lifestyle-branded properties are springing up in every corner of the world.
Explaining it, Ferghal Purcell, COO, HMH – Hospitality Management Holding, said: “As young affluent travelers are migrating to new channels for travel planning, hoteliers too are making an effort to step up their game by being visible on multiple channels including meta-search for improved online bookings.
“At HMH we are geared in terms of technology with mobile optimized website and dynamic marketing and pricing strategy.”
Edwin Fuller, president & CEO – Orange County Visitors Association, said: “We see an increase of young middle class visitors from the Middle East. They are spending time exploring destinations not previously visited such as Southern California. The visitors are seeking opportunities to explore and enjoy the destinations of their choice. We are seeing an increase in multiple visits throughout the year and not just in the summer.
“Orange County California is the single most-visited destination in California and the West Coast with over 4 million international guests in 2015.”

NCB Capital, Saudi Arabia’s leading provider of wealth management and investment services, and the Kingdom’s largest asset manager, has announced the launch of its Pan European Real Estate Fund with more than $150 million raised through a private placement.
NCB Capital has partnered with Fidelity International, a leading global asset manager, to invest in commercial properties, including office, retail, logistics/industrial and mixed use, located in key European property markets including France, Germany, Benelux and the United Kingdom. Favorable currency conversion rates, robust legal and regulatory environments, coupled with consistent growth expectations of the core European economies make this an opportune time to invest in a solid real estate market.
“NCB Capital is dedicated to creating a robust set of domestic and international investment solutions to meet the needs of its clients,” said Sarah Jammaz Al-Suhaimi, NCB Capital’s CEO. “With the Euro and the British Pound below their long-term averages, the impact of Brexit on real estate capital values in the UK and the positive sentiment in the Eurozone, these conditions create a good entry point for our clients to diversify into the European real estate market.”

Huawei’s carrier, enterprise, and consumer business groups (BG) have each achieved solid year-on-year growth, according to the company’s audited financial results for 2016.
The group’s annual revenue was $75.1 billion, an increase of 32 percent over 2015. Net profits rose to $5.3 billion, marking an increase of 0.4 percent.
In 2016, Huawei continued to invest in the future, with the company’s annual spending on research and development reaching $11 billion.
Eric Xu, Huawei rotating CEO, said: “In 2016, Huawei maintained its strategic focus and achieved solid growth. As humanity continues to explore and make new breakthroughs in the digital world, digitization and increasing intelligence present huge business opportunities for all industries.”
He said they are also paving the way for new growth for the ICT industry. “We will stay customer-centric and will support digital transformation in all industries in order to create value for our customers and to grow sustainably,” he added.
In 2016, Huawei’s carrier BG generated $41.8 billion in revenue — an increase of 24 percent year-on-year. This was achieved by focusing on digital transformation and leveraging major opportunities in cloud, video, the Internet of Things, and operations transformation for carrier customers.
Working in close collaboration with its partners, Huawei’s enterprise BG delivered ICT infrastructure to support the digital transformation of key vertical industries including finance, energy, government bodies, and public safety.
This business generated $5.9 billion in annual revenue — an increase of 47 percent.
Huawei’s consumer BG shipped 139 million smartphones during 2016, and reported $25.9 billion in annual revenue, up 44 percent.
Sabrina Meng, Huawei’s CFO, noted: “Huawei was operationally healthy in 2016, with ample cash reserves, a solid and sustainable capital structure and high resilience against risk. In 2017, we will continue to boost the efficiency and quality of our operations to ensure solid growth.”

Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group, visited the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) headquarters in Vienna, Austria where he met with Suleiman J. Al-Herbish, OFID director-general.
The visit included a meeting between both institution heads, as well as technical meetings to discuss trade development and promotion, and trade finance. A letter of agreement was signed by both Sonbol and Al-Herbish confirming a grant approved by OFID to ITFC. This grant aims to support the implementation of the first-year action plan for the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges (AATB) Program. The proceeds of the grant shall mainly be used to finance trade capacity building activities, inter-alia, workshops and training courses for small and medium-sized enterprises.
In keeping with OFID’s mandate, the grant shall directly benefit nationals of non-OPEC member countries, with the priority being placed on nationals of Sub-Saharan countries.
Sonbol said: “OFID’s support to the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program reflects the strong belief in the importance of the program in supporting trade and economic prospects in the Arab and Africa regions, so that together we can help expand the trade capacities of the two regions. It is our mutual mandate to contribute to the enhancement of our member countries’ socio-economic livelihoods and achieve poverty reduction.”
Al-Herbish said: “I am confident that this grant, which represents a new chapter in OFID’s partnership with the ITFC, will contribute to strengthening cooperation between our two institutions and all members of the Trade Finance and Guarantee Coordination Group. OFID appreciates ITFC’s leading role in the design of the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program and its tireless efforts to provide innovative trade finance solutions to its member countries, which include a large number of OFID partner countries.”
The AATB Program was launched in Morocco on Feb. 22 and 23 by ITFC in partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy. The program aims at enhancing trade relations, developing the business sector and promoting economic cooperation between the two regions.

Siemens received an order to supply a SGT-500 gas turbine that will power the new citric acid plant of Saudi Bio-Acids Company, located 35 km south of the Jeddah port. Siemens’ solution will address the base and peak load power requirements of the plant, which is expected to be operational by mid-2018.
The turbine is designed to consume HFO (heavy fuel oil) and has evaporative cooling and water injection capabilities that enhance peak power performance.
Saudi Bio-Acids Company is the regional market leader in citric acid. The company is targeting a production output of 80,000 metric tons within two years of commencing operations at the plant.
Citric acid is used in many industries that range from food and beverage to pharmaceuticals and personal care. Currently, most of the demand for citric acid across the Middle East is met with imports from overseas.
With this plant, Saudi Arabia will start producing this important component for the food industry directly in the Kingdom.
Arja Talakar, CEO of Siemens Saudi Arabia, said: “We are grateful and honored to be a part of this project. Saudi Bio-Acids Company will build the first citric acid plant in Saudi Arabia, which represents a milestone for economic diversification in the Kingdom, in line with Vision 2030.”
Siemens, together with its long-term partner and shareholder E.A. Juffali and Brothers, are committed to industrial development and economic diversification in the Kingdom. In 2015, the Siemens Dammam Energy Hub (SDEH), the first manufacturing facility for gas turbine technology in the Kingdom, began its operations. The plant produced the first “Made in KSA” gas turbine last year and will soon complete the sixth turbine unit which is destined for Saudi Aramco’s Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plant in Jazan. The turbines are built by Saudi talent, which is the result of Siemens’ extensive training program with local partners that produced the first generation of local gas turbine experts. With well-trained local talent and strong local manufacturing and service capabilities, Siemens is well-positioned to ensure the reliable supply of power to the plant and local value creation.

Emirates NBD KSA has received an approval from Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) to open three new branches in Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, in addition to its Riyadh main branch.
Loai Abduljawad, CEO of Emirates NBD KSA, said: “We would like to give our deepest thanks and appreciation to our great leaders in Saudi Arabia, the minister of finance and the governor of SAMA for their efforts and support in providing their approval for the opening of the three new branches of Emirates NBD in Saudi Arabia.”
He added: “This approval enhances the strategic plan for Emirates NBD that aims to expand and offer exceptional opportunities and chances in this amazing economic growth in the Kingdom.”
The new branches of Emirates NBD KSA will have the new banking technology. This is to ensure a distinct level of services and products, in addition to the ability to facilitate customer access to their accounts in any branch in Saudi Arabia by electronically linking all branches across the Kingdom.
Given that the branches will be the bank’s main points of contact with clients, Emirates NBD KSA has chosen locations depending on the population density, the expected volume of business and the area needs based on customer thresholds.

Oman Air, the national airline of Oman, is adding to its exclusive portfolio of on-board products a brand new perfume from Roja Parfums, exclusively available to first and business class guests.
These perfumes will join an impressive arrange of hand-picked cosmetics, perfumes and accessories available on Oman Air.
The new perfume from Roja, “Amber Aoud,” was launched at a ceremony held under the patronage of Sayyid Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Said. The event was attended by media representatives as well as senior officials from Oman Air and Muscat Duty Free.
Abdulaziz Al-Raisi, executive vice president, product and brand development, said: “Oman Air is delighted to be able to offer our guests the opportunity to buy the exclusive ‘Amber Aoud’ perfume from Roja. The brand is an excellent fit with our own quality product, having carved out a niche for itself as being one of the finest perfumes available.
“Here at Oman Air we work very hard to ensure that we are providing our guests with the absolute best and that which encompasses every detail of their on-board experience including the products that we sell on our aircraft.”
Oman Air Sindbad Gold, Silver and Blue members who purchase Roja perfumes onboard will receive an exclusive discount of ten, seven and five percent, respectively.
Roja Parfums, created by English-born Roja Dove in 2001, use only the best quality materials and have established themselves as the finest perfumes in the world.
Each Roja Parfums flacon is hand-finished and manufactured in France, made from the purest and clearest glass. The gold detail on the glass is screen-printed by hand in England through a process that takes three days to complete.
Each perfume cap, the symbol of Roja Parfums, is set by hand using 14 Swarovski crystals in a process that takes five days to finish. The scents are only available in some of the world’s finest department stores, including London’s Harrods.

Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has announced its “Connect Roaming” packages for the second school holiday season, keeping in mind the needs of its customers vacationing outside the Kingdom.
Connect Roaming packages come in four distinctive offers. The starting package price is SR50 ($13), which provides a capacity of 500MB and can be activated by sending “Trip1” to 1100.
The second offer costs SR150 ($40) and a capacity of 2GB which can be activated by sending “Trip2” to 1100. The third category provides a weekly package with 5 GB data size and costs SR250 ($67) and can be activated by sending “Trip3.”
The largest category of “Connect Roaming” is a monthly package providing unlimited data costing SR350 ($93)and can be subscribed by sending “Trip4” to 1100.
The offer is a result of Mobily’s constant efforts to satisfy its customers’ needs. Mobily has the most extensive LTE roaming services with 130 well-known telecom operators worldwide.
In addition, these packages can be activated through a system of USSD by entering *1100# and then “roaming.” Another way to subscribe to these packages is through the Mobily website by accessing “My Services” and moving on to “Connect Roaming Packages” for activation. The packages can also be activated by visiting any of the company’s branches across the Kingdom.

Ford has won in three different segments at the Middle East Car of the Year awards ceremony, held in Abu Dhabi over the weekend.
A panel of judges, comprising 15 expert automotive journalists from nine GCC and Levant countries, awarded Ford’s new Edge the “Compact SUV” title for 2017 — emulating the award it received from Wheels magazine earlier this month. Ford Ranger claimed the “Best Midsize Truck” award while Ford Figo took the crown for “Best Hatchback.”
Edge has proved to be exceptionally popular in the Middle East since its launch, having already topped the judges’ wish list in its segment for Lebanon’s Automobile Car of the Year, Oman’s Automan Car of the Year, EVO Middle East’s Car of the Year, and earlier this month, Wheels magazine’s “Crossover of the Year” award, making it the region’s most-nominated and recognized CUV.
The Ranger pickup truck delivers rugged design and superior comfort. It is important that a Ranger not only looks tough, but functions as a dependable tool and offers the comfort and convenience drivers need. The award-winning truck’s performance, capability, payload and towing capacity are made possible thanks to the latest generation of powerful, more refined and fuel-efficient Duratorq TDCi diesel engines, as well as the proven Duratec petrol unit.
Ford’s Figo benefitted from a bumper 2016 in Saudi Arabia, seeing a tremendous five-fold boost in its sales, proving that bigger is not always better.
“At Ford, we strive to build vehicles that offer a blend of all-round performance and everyday usability,” said Thierry Sabbagh, managing director, Ford Middle East.
“Seeing that the region’s industry experts at MECOTY, have named three different Ford models as best-in-class in 2017 is testament to the great vehicles we are producing year-on-year.”
The all-new Ford Edge cuts a bold, sporty and imposing figure on the roads. Wheels pushed out to each corner give a wide, aggressive stance and help maximize interior space.
For 2017, the new Ford Edge adds more technologies featuring the latest generation of Ford’s innovative communications and entertainment system SYNC®3. In addition to other new languages, Ford’s SYNC 3 will support Arabic for the first time — both text and voice activation — enabling simpler control for Arabic-speaking drivers.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) opened the Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel. With majestic views overlooking Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the hotel is an addition to Hilton’s growing Middle Eastern portfolio.
“The opening of Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel marks Hilton’s 12th hotel in Saudi Arabia,” said Andreas Lackner, regional head, brand management, Hilton. “With more than 30 hotels under development, Saudi Arabia features our largest development pipeline in the Middle East and we look forward to extending our renowned hospitality across the country.”
Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel caters to meetings and events of all sizes, with the largest pillarless ballroom in Makkah, and the ability to accommodate up to 1,600 people. The hotel boasts the first and largest convention center in the city, and is joined by an additional eight multi-purpose meeting and boardrooms.
Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel boasts three restaurants and a cafe where guests can indulge in various eclectic cuisines. The all-day Al Mustafa restaurant offers guests an international buffet and an elegant ambience.
Azure serves Indian and Malaysian cuisines, and Sahtein serves Lebanese food. In addition, guests can enjoy a casual setting at Al Multaqa Café, offering light snacks.
“We are delighted to be welcoming guests looking to stay in the heart of Makkah,” said Mark Allaf, general manager, Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel. “Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel offers contemporary accommodations in one of the world’s most monumental cities. With its spacious ballroom and convention center, the hotel is ideal for meetings and events of all sizes.”
The hotel offers 764 contemporary guest rooms with large modern walk-in showers, including 90 executive rooms, 25 executive suites and 16 suites with views of the Grand Mosque. Guests will also have access to the 24-hour fitness center featuring the latest state-of-the-art equipment.

Automotive industry professionals attended a two-day roadshow across Saudi Arabia’s Eastern and Central regions, looking at ways to boost access to the Kingdom’s auto aftermarket, where revenues are estimated to be worth $8.9 billion in 2021.
The Automechanika Riyadh 2018 launch event toured Riyadh and Dammam. Over 150 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, traders, key buyers and government representatives discussed opportunities for new and existing companies in the GCC’s largest automotive market.
With 354,000 cars sold in the first half of 2016, Saudi Arabia is ranked 21st in the world in vehicle sales volume, according to research analysts GfK, while approximately 8,440 outlets currently service the aftermarket dealing in tires, batteries, spare parts and engine oils.
More than half of these (4,473 outlets) are in the Eastern and Central regions according to GfK, presenting plenty of scope for suppliers and manufacturers to boost their distribution networks and partnerships.
This is why there has been plenty of interest from the global auto aftermarket community in the very first edition of Automechanika Riyadh, the largest dedicated trade show for Saudi Arabia’s aftermarket in the Eastern and Central regions.
The biennial trade fair, which takes place from Feb. 5 to 7, 2018, at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, is set to give international players a major lift in Saudi Arabia’s spare parts market, which is well on the road to recovery.
According to analysts Frost & Sullivan, the total revenues in the Kingdom’s automotive aftermarket, including Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Dhahran and Alkhobar, will grow 5.1 percent annually over the next five years, reaching SR 33.62 billion ($8.9 billion) in 2021. The chief factor driving this growth is a surge in vehicle numbers, with 10.3 million cars expected to ply the Kingdom’s roads by 2021, up from 7.7 million in 2015.
Major revenue is expected to be generated by regular maintenance parts such as tires (SR10.5 billion), batteries (SR1.56 billion) and lubricants (SR6.01 billion), while brake pads are expected to account for almost 25 percent of “other parts” category (SR15.55 billion).
Automechanika Riyadh 2018 is expected to feature more than 150 exhibitors from 20 countries, with organizers Messe Frankfurt Middle East and ACE Group confirming exhibitors have signed on early as official launch partners.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) hosted Reimagine 2017, a day-long event to address the growing needs of market leaders in Saudi Arabia to leverage opportunities and demonstrate agility in implementing innovation in Information Technology.
Held at Al-Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, the event presented solutions such as Hybrid IT, Intelligent Edge and Transformation Services, linking back to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 that promotes the development of a strong digital infrastructure.
Twenty-two thought leaders delivered insightful perspectives and solutions to inspire market leaders ready to drive the digital transformation within their respective organizations, ultimately driving the enhancement of industries and the economy.
Khaled Al-Dhaher, managing director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Saudi Arabia, and one of the keynote speakers, said: “Saudi Arabia is rapidly moving toward a digital economy and as long-term strategic partners, we have a key role in driving innovation, facilitating knowledge transfer, and supporting businesses get ready for digital transformation. We believe in building a strong partner ecosystem wherein the combined efforts of members not only enhance industries but support boosting the economy as a whole.”
Over 750 representatives from leading public and private organizations attended the event and had access to keynote sessions, discussions as well as demonstrations. The event also provided a platform to determine existing sentiment and efforts employed across market leaders through an on-site poll. The results indicated that a little more than half of the organizations represented through attendance have already set in motion plans for digital transformation, and are investing in innovation.
The results also indicated that there is good traction in the development of Internet of Things-based (IoT) projects, with approximately a quarter of the respondents having projects underway. More than half of the responses indicated that IoT is still an option to be considered or are yet to determine their strategies.
HPE continues to bring global experience to the Saudi Arabian market. For more than 30 years, HPE has been the technology partner of choice for both public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia.

Ford, America’s truck leader, has introduced the all-new 2017 F-150 Raptor to the Middle East.
Developed with the DNA of a Baja race truck, F-150 Raptor is unique among off-road and performance vehicles, with a purpose-built engine, chassis and suspension that enables it to travel fast over challenging desert landscapes or crawl over rocky terrains.
It uses the same high-strength, aluminum alloy body and a fully boxed high-strength steel frame as the current F-150 trucks. The 2017 Raptor is up to 227-kg lighter than the 2014 model.
Combined with a high-output second-generation EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission, it delivers a 21 percent improved average torque-to-weight ratio and a 23 percent improvement in EPA-rated combined fuel economy compared with the previous generation Raptor. The new engine produces more power with greater efficiency than the current 6.2-liter V8, delivering 421 PS at 6,000rpm and 678 Nm of torque at 3,750rpm.
“Raptor was designed to be a no-compromise, off-road performance machine,” said Thierry Sabbagh, managing director of Ford Middle East. “The 2017 Raptor is the best high-performance off-roading pick-up truck available, and as one of the most successful and popular trucks in the world, represents Ford’s willingness to consistently sit on top of the truck food chain.”
The F-150 Raptor starts with a purpose-built fully boxed frame — the backbone of the truck — that is the strongest in the F-150 line-up, featuring more high-strength steel than the outgoing Raptor.
The second-generation high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine produces more power with greater efficiency than the outgoing 6.2-liter V8.
Within performance circles, Ford’s EcoBoost engine has gained a following among truck enthusiasts and racing fans alike.
Among the high-output EcoBoost performance enhancements for Raptor are more aggressive turbo compressors with increased boost calibrations, cast stainless steel manifolds and full dual exhaust, oil-cooled pistons and more aggressive engine control calibrations.
The off-road driving mode technology has evolved into an all-new Terrain Management System that enables the driver to select modes to optimize driving dynamics to environmental conditions — from snow to mud, sand and more.

The 12th edition of the Istanbul Tulip Festival, organized by Turkish Airlines to empower Istanbul’s tourism sector, concluded last week.
For the third time in a row, the airline invited over 250 participants from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), to attend the festival. These included agencies, media members and social media influencers. They participated in a commercial workshop at the end of the promotional tour.
Guests from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine, Bahrain, Iraq, the UAE, Tunisia, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco attended the event. As part of the festival, workshops were held by 25 hotels of Istanbul which resulted in over 2,250 meetings.
A gala dinner was organized at the end of the program for all participants. It was also attended by Bilal Eski, Turkish Airlines CEO.
Eski said: “We are pleased to have organized this event with 12 participating countries contributing to the Turkish tourism sector. In order to increase the number of passengers coming from the MENA region, we at Turkish Airlines will continue to support Turkish tourism with charter and direct flights to cities such as Istanbul, Trabzon, Antalya, Bodrum, Izmir and Bursa. When our guests return to their countries, they will make an effort to gain potential travelers by sharing the beauty of Istanbul and its touristic richness.”
Sheetal Vijaykumar, a participant, said: “Istanbul is a perfect city in every aspect; it is like a diamond on the crown of the world of tourism. Lately, global incidents have affected countries which included Brussels, Paris, London and Istanbul, but now as per my observation, I can say that the future of Istanbul tourism will be as colorful as the tulips.”
The first international Istanbul Tulip Festival was held in 2005.
This year, participants at the event had the chance to view millions of tulips — in over 120 varieties — across parks, plazas and gardens. The Istanbul Tulip Festival delivered a successful message that the tulip is native to Turkey, and not Netherlands or Europe.

Winners of the Aanaab Educational Platform contest were announced recently during a ceremony at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel.
The event was attended by representatives from the education sector along with guests and members of the press.
Aanaab was launched six months ago to provide a mechanism to “circle and distribute resources among teachers to improve the learning process, providing different learning experiences for hundreds of thousands of Arab students, in addition to providing an additional source of income …”
Fatima Al-Ghobari, a Saudi mathematics teacher from Najran, won a Chevrolet Spark 2017 as the grand prize, while Etab Amouri and Nour Al-Sawadi received SR5,000 each as second and third prizes, respectively.
Amouri lives in Dubai while Al-Sawadi lives in Jeddah.
Monira Jamjoom, Aanaab Educational Platform co-founder, said the e-commerce platform (Aanaab.com) was launched six months ago to create educational content to share with teachers.
She added that teachers can also share and sell their content in Arabic through the e-commerce platform to augment their income.
Jamjoom said teachers upload worksheets for homework, videos and PowerPoint presentations on the platform for students to learn.
“All I request is for the teachers to create high quality content and upload on the e-commerce platform,” she said.
The platform, which was launched by Emkan Education Company (EEC), is the first of its kind, selling and sharing learning resources in the Arab world.
The contest was held within the framework of cooperation between Aljomaih Automotive Company (AAC), which sponsored the contest, and ECC.
Mosaed Aljomaih, assistant chief of operation in Riyadh, underlined the importance of the Aanaab Educational Platform project for the future of educational development in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world and its lead role in empowering teachers.
He assured AAC’s keen interest in all educational initiatives that are in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

Sloanes Real Estate Brokers, a subsidiary of the Sabban Group of Companies, has announced the completion of Bayat Plaza’s sample floors.
The luxurious residential development project will soon transform the skyline of central Jeddah.
Strategically located in the business hub of the city, Bayat Plaza will provide a unique concept, combining residential, retail and leisure amenities all in one location.
Bayat Plaza comprises 32 stories and is serviced by a 2,600-square meter retail space on the ground and first floors. Bayat Plaza is by far the tallest development in the area and can be seen for miles from any direction.
It comprises over 266 stylish and contemporary two-bedroom apartments, three- and four-bedroom “Sky Villas” and five-bedroom penthouses. Each unit is fully equipped with kitchen appliances, built-in wardrobes and superior fixtures and fittings.
“Sloanes Real Estate is proud to announce the completion of the Bayat Plaza sample floors which will allow buyers to witness first-hand, the quality and perfection of our offering,” said Arron Browne, managing director of Sloanes Real Estate Brokers. “This project is an example of our commitment to launching mixed-use developments and will set a new benchmark with the most up-to-date features and amenities.”
Bayat Plaza Tower One is made up of 176 two-bedroom apartments, spread over 24 floors, with each floor accommodating eight apartments of two differing types.
“Bayat Plaza is our first residential project in Jeddah, a city so rich in history,” added Arron. “We are offering modern lifestyle options complete with advanced facilities, services and convenience that adds a new dimension to the urban tapestry of the city.”
Bayat Plaza Tower Two contains 56 three-bedroom and 28 four-bedroom spacious “Sky Villas” spread over 34 floors. The “Sky Villa” is designed for those wishing to take advantage of “villa-style” living, while maintaining the exclusivity and privacy of living in a landmark tower building.
Badr Al-Sabban, managing director of Manazil LLC, said: “Each owner will have the option to enlist the services of a pre-qualified interior architect and designer to create a bespoke interior design.”
“The Bayat journey has been at the forefront of all planning aspects of this impressive development. It relates not only to the physical journey that every end-user takes through the towers, but also the journey from point of sale to handover and how we care for both aspects equally.”

Oman Air will start its new daily flight between Muscat and Manchester effective May 1. It is the latest move in the airline’s ambitious and dynamic program of fleet and network expansion.
The daily service from Oman Air will be operated by an A330-200 and is in addition to the double daily flight from London Heathrow, making Manchester the only airport outside of London to have direct flights to Muscat.
It is a seven-and-a-half hour flight.
Paul Gregorowitsch, CEO of Oman Air, said: “This is an incredibly exciting expansion in the UK, allowing our guests to enjoy the convenience of flying direct from Oman to the north of England and also the opportunity to connect with Oman Air’s global network. It demonstrates our commitment to developing Oman Air’s global network and in particular catering for the growing demand for our award-winning product and inflight service.”
This service will cater to the 22 million people in the Manchester catchment area who will be impressed by Oman Air’s on-board services.
They can take advantage of the direct route to Oman as well as extensive onward connections available from Muscat.
In the last few years, Oman has been generating a lot of noise in the tourism sector with a 17.7 percent increase in visitor numbers since 2014 to just under 5 million globally, with the UK and Ireland contributing 150,000 visitors in 2015.
With considerable investment in new hotels, not to mention the conference, meetings, exhibitions and incentive market, these figures are expected to grow.

Kudu, a Saudi restaurant chain, has appointed Moataz Al-Hamide and Emad Al-Qurashi as the new chief administration officer and chief marketing officer, respectively.
Since its inception in the Kingdom, Kudu has provided a fully Saudi experience for its customers in the country, and 29 years and 367 branches later, that statement still holds true. Both the new officials bring with them a wealth of FMCG experience that will help take the brand to the next level.
Al-Qurashi has a BS in marketing from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals and over 18 years of experience in the FMCG field with major companies including Panda Retail Company, United Sugar Company, Afia International Company and Unilever Arabia.
He said his task is to position Kudu as the No.1 brand in the QSR restaurant segment.
“Kudu as a brand has been around since as long as I can remember, providing not only the freshest of meals for every age group to enjoy, but also a fully Saudi experience that has lasted and endured for decades. I look forward to being a part of the brand’s growth journey.”
Al-Hamide, meanwhile, joins the brand with big plans for Saudization. He graduated from George Washington University with an associated certificate in project management and has completed a senior executive program in leadership, strategy and transformation at London Business School. Over 16 years of experience in the human resources field with acclaimed corporations such as Leejam Sports, RSA insurance, MODON, and Tawuniya have equipped Al-Hamide with the skills, tools, and knowledge necessary to take Kudu’s Saudization efforts to new heights.
Rakan Al-Rashed, Kudu’s chairman, said: “It brings us great pleasure to welcome Moataz and Emad to the Kudu family. We have always believed in developing and hiring Saudi talents that truly understand and can relate to the Saudi market, and I have no doubt in my mind that both of them are up for the challenge and will positively influence the brand’s growth moving forward.”
Kudu employs over 1000 Saudi nationals across its operations in the Kingdom.