The Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Diriyah Chief Marketing Officer Kiran Haslam talks to Sarah Hedley Hymers about Saudi Arabia’s giga-project heritage destination, revealing current visitor numbers and the plans to attract more. Diriyah’s transformation into a tourist destination is discussed, highlighting its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, cultural and historical landmarks, and unique seasonal events that showcase traditional Saudi hospitality.

For more information, visit www.sta.gov.sa and www.diriyah.sa/en

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AlUla is having a moment. One of the most exciting destinations not just in Saudi Arabia but in the world, in terms of historical significance and tourist appeal, this emerging destination is now furnished with a range of hotels and getting around is more thrilling than ever, with hot balloon rides, helicopter tours, zip lines and vintage Range Rovers among the many options. Melanie de Souza shares all the latest developments at this exciting destination where ancient dwellings meet modern adventures.

For more information, visit www.sta.gov.sa and www.experiencealula.com/en

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“Saudi Arabia is one of the stories of the century; you either believe it or you miss out,” says Sandeep Walia, Chief Operating Officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, in the inaugural episode of the Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast exploring opportunities in the kingdom’s travel and tourism sector. Walia also shares insights into upcoming Nujuma, the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the MENA region.

For more on Saudi, visit www.sta.gov.sa

For more on Marriott’s expansion in Saudi, visit www.marriott.com

For more STA Podcasts, visit www.connectingtravel.com

Watch the episode here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN6wz7nWoWg

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“We plan to double the number of hotels in Saudi Arabia in the next four years,” says Paul Stevens, COO, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye for the Premium, Midscale & Economy division at Accor, in this episode of the Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast.

Stevens shares Accor’s plans for Saudi Arabia, from expansion into second- and third-tier cities, to the rollout of a Saudization programme, as the group looks to hire 5-6,000 people in Saudi over the next five years.

For more on Saudi Arabia, visit https://www.sta.gov.sa. For more on Accor, visit https://www.groupaccor.com.

For more travel trade interviews, news and features, visit https://www.connectingtravel.com and follow Connecting Travel @connectingtrav across all your favourite social media platforms.

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“With 41 hotels in the pipeline, we are almost doubling our Saudi portfolio – it’s a great market to be in,” says Maher Abou Nasr, Vice President, Operations – KSA, IHG Hotels & Resorts, in this episode of the Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast. The first company to manage a branded hotel in the kingdom back in 1975, IHG's Abou Nasr shares the vision and strategy for the next five years as the portfolio doubles and diversifies.

For more on Saudi Arabia, visit https://www.sta.gov.sa. For more about IHG, visit https://www.ihg.com

For more travel trade interviews, news and features, visit https://www.connectingtravel.com and follow Connecting Travel @connectingtrav across all your favourite social media platforms.

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“I suspect we are probably driving more people to Saudi Arabia than any other online travel partner,” Ross Veitch, CEO and co-founder of Wego, tells Sarah Hedley Hymers in this episode of The Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast. Among the most popular travel apps in the Middle East, Wego partners with the Saudi Tourism Authority to help drive tourism numbers and is seeing the most success from event-led travel campaigns. Veitch outlines the country’s tourism offering and shares inbound travel trends.

For more information, visit https://company.wego.com and https://www.sta.gov.sa

For more travel trade interviews, news and features, visit https://www.connectingtravel.com and follow Connecting Travel @connectingtrav across all your favourite social media platforms.

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“The culture, gastronomy, architecture – there's so many things to do and see in Saudi,” says Federico Giusiano, Global Sales Director of digital travel media company Matador in this episode of the Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast. Giusiano shares his experiences producing social media content showcasing Saudi for a young, global audience that demands new experiences and activities.

For more information, visit https://matadornetwork.com; for more on Saudi Arabia, visit https://www.sta.gov.sa

For more travel trade interviews, news and features, visit https://www.connectingtravel.com and follow Connecting Travel @connectingtrav across all your favourite social media platforms

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“We are building Saudi Arabia’s first ultra-luxury hospitality company,” says Mark DeCocinis, CEO at Riyadh-based Boutique Group, in this episode of the Saudi Tourism Authority Podcast. A veteran in luxury hospitality, DeCocinis shares how he is leading a team of experts to transform Saudi’s historic palaces into ultra-luxury hotels and setting a new hospitality benchmark for global tourism.

For more on Saudi Arabia, visit www.sta.gov.sa. For more on Boutique Group, visit www.boutiquegroup.com. For more STA Podcasts, visit www.connectingtravel.com

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