In the heart of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is undergoing a transformation unlike any before. The city is redefining its contours and colors under the aegis of Riyadh Art, a national public art initiative that is turning the capital into a canvas for creative expression. This initiative is part of a broader cultural movement, one that seeks to weave art into the very fabric of Riyadh's urban landscape, making it synonymous with an immersive artistic experience. At the forefront of this cultural renaissance is Noor Riyadh, the world's largest light art festival, which returned for its third edition, transforming Saudi Arabia's capital into a luminous playground for artists and art enthusiasts alike. The festival, which once again cast its glow on November 30, 2023, and will continue to shine until December 16, distinguishes itself by inviting artists from all corners of the globe to participate in the city's metamorphosis into a realm of light and art. It's a celebration that extends beyond mere visual spectacle, transforming Ryadh into an open-air gallery that marries the beauty of the desert with the boundless possibilities of light and art.
This year's theme, 'The Bright Side of the Desert Moon,' beckons visitors to explore the connective power of light—a force that sustains, comforts, and binds people together. Curated by the illustrious team of Jérôme Sans, Pedro Alonzo, Fahad Bin Naif, and Alaa Tarabzouni, Noor Riyadh spreads across five main hubs—each a constellation of creativity that challenges the starkness of the desert with the vibrancy of illuminated artistry. The art installations are strategically located throughout the city, from the bustling heart of the JAX District, a newly developed cultural and commercial epicenter designed to be a hub for creativity and innovation, to the serene King Abdullah Financial District, and beyond. Each neighborhood becomes a gallery, each street an aisle, and each public square a theater of light and shadow. The festival not only adorns the city with light; it also weaves a narrative that reflects Riyadh's historical journey and its aspirations for the future.
Under the ethereal glow of the night sky, Janet Echelman's "Earthtime 1.26 Wadi Namar" stands as a testament to the interconnectedness of nature and humanity. As the artist herself explains, "It's a manifestation of interconnectedness – when any one element in the sculpture moves, every other element is affected." This intricate aerial sculpture, suspended above the desert floor, embodies the ripples of an earthquake that reverberated across the Pacific Ocean, shortened the day by microseconds, and consequently, dictated the sculpture's naming. Its ethereal presence in Wadi Namar is further enriched by a
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By now, flynas has taken delivery of 18 aircraft out of 19 new A320neo aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2023, within an order of purchasing 120 aircraft from Airbus for a total amount exceeding 32 billion riyals, within a stated plan to increase the new aircraft orders to 250 aircraft.
Japan will head to the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ as the top ranked Asian side. The four-time AFC Asian Cup winners maintained their 17th spot in the latest FIFA World Ranking issued last Thursday.
Saudi Arabia has bold ambitions to open to tourists and its airline industry is a big part of the plan. Riyadh Air, a new carrier established with support of the Public Investment Fund, ordered a large number of Boeing 787 aircraft in 2023 with the aim to start operations in 2025.
As I sat under the waning sun, eating a traditional Bedouin meal of fire roasted lamb and rice with my fingers and watching the twinkling stars begin to appear in the sky, our host said, “You have to earn visiting AlUla,” and he was not wrong. It’s a place that insists upon admiration of its natural beauty and remarkable history, and with that comes a luxury price tag that is well worth saving for.
Tourism leaders from around the world will join together in Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh, for 2023’s United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Day on September 27 and 28. Global tourism ministers and others in the industry will participate in events to connect and collaborate. The location of this year’s event shows how far tourism has come in the few short years since Saudi Arabia opened to tourists in 2019.
NEOM is central to Saudi Arabia’s push to encourage tourism and emerge as one of the world’s leading vacation destinations. Al’Ula and mega-projects inside of NEOM such as The Line and a new island destination called Sindalah have been the biggest locations to make headlines lately, but there are other moving pieces equally worthy of getting excited about. Take, for example, Leyja, a mountainous region within NEOM slated to be developed as a major tourism hub with three new futuristic hotels built right into the mountains.
What’s happening right now in Saudi is groundbreaking — literally and figuratively. Huge developments, so massive they’ve been dubbed “giga projects,” are transforming the country like nowhere else in the world, bringing in new attractions, opening next-level luxurious hotels, and even creating entirely new cities.
At first, the idea of building an entire city in the shape of a straight line might sound puzzling. After all, wouldn’t it take that much longer to get from one end to the other? Would the traffic going from end to end be terrible? It turns out that the straight line model is actually based on efficiency of transportation, and when done right, it can be an incredible advantage to other layouts. That’s the goal with “The Line,” Saudi Arabia’s trillion-dollar futuristic city that’s an ambitious feat of engineering. The planned 105-mile long city in NEOM, in the northwest section of the country, is slated to cut across the desert in a straight line, hold nine million people, and serve as an almost utopian example of what cities could look like.
Since opening to tourists in 2019, Saudi Arabia has quickly become a world leader in travel. The country was elected as the Chair of the United Nations World Tourism Organization in 2023, and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism aims to welcome 100 million tourist visits by 2023. Such rapid growth takes massive investment — something Saudi Arabia has already proven to be more than willing to do successfully. With increased cruises bringing passengers to Saudi Arabia and a manageable visa application process, it’s hard to imagine another country more poised to dominate the global tourism market in upcoming years.
In 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia officially opened its doors to international travelers, issuing tourist visas for the first time in history. Previously, only those traveling to Saudi Arabia for work or Muslim pilgrims were permitted to enter the country. Today, citizens of 57 nations, including the United States, can obtain an eVisa to travel to Saudi Arabia — and the application process is simple, fast, and relatively cheap.
Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital, is scattered across a sequence of islands. Beyond the mega malls and golden beaches, the chief emirate will keep you busy with kayaking in the mangroves, ogling art at the Louvre, and marveling at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. In between sights, you can sip 24-carat gold cappuccinos and collect trinkets in souks. The slower pace makes Abu Dhabi a choice destination for families, honeymooners, and remote workers. Make a date to stay at one of these deluxe Airbnbs in Abu Dhabi’s coolest neighborhoods.