Diriyah Company Successfully Concludes Participation in the Future Hospitality Summit in Abu Dhabi

Visitors are seen at a previous edition of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS). (FHS)
Visitors are seen at a previous edition of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS). (FHS)
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Diriyah Company Successfully Concludes Participation in the Future Hospitality Summit in Abu Dhabi

Visitors are seen at a previous edition of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS). (FHS)
Visitors are seen at a previous edition of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS). (FHS)

The Diriyah Company has highlighted several hotel, hospitality, and tourism projects during its participation in the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) 2023, which was held in Abu Dhabi from September 25-27.

The company emphasized that the Diriyah project is expected to contribute directly to increasing the number of visits to the Kingdom to 100 million annual visits by 2030. Furthermore, the global influx of tourists Diriyah is currently experiencing can largely be attributed to the recent launch of several heritage and tourism attractions, including At-Turaif, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Bujairi Terrace, one of the Middle East's newest premier luxury dining destinations.

During its FHS participation, the company noted that this recent global tourist interest marks the beginning of a period of great activity. In the coming years, more people from around the world than ever will seek to experience the history and heritage of Saudi Arabia's birthplace.

Diriyah will continue to attract tourists with an interest in its historic monuments, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif, as well as its traditional Najdi architecture, which serves as a source of inspiration for developers and connects Diriyah to its rich past through the use of local construction materials.

At its pavilion, which drew a large number of entrepreneurs, business and hospitality industry leaders, and experts, the Diriyah Company showcased its remarkable projects, including the development of 38 hotels.

The global hotel brands, some of which are making their debut in the Kingdom, specifically in Diriyah, include Armani, Six Senses, Anantara, The Luxury Collection by Marriott, Waldorf Astoria, Baccarat Hotel, and, more recently, properties from the Aman Group.

The company also highlighted that Diriyah is expected to attract 50 million visitors annually and create 178,000 direct employment opportunities upon project completion. These efforts are aligned with the broader objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

The portfolio of projects in Diriyah has positioned it as a global leader in tourism and hospitality, attracting visitors from all over the world. This aligns with Saudi Arabia's commitment to using modern technologies to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, promote sustainability, and create thriving and inclusive hospitality and investment sectors.



China Rebuffs Trump Offer of Tariff Concessions if Beijing Agrees TikTok Deal

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of US President-elect Donald Trump and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 19, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of US President-elect Donald Trump and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 19, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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China Rebuffs Trump Offer of Tariff Concessions if Beijing Agrees TikTok Deal

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of US President-elect Donald Trump and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 19, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of US President-elect Donald Trump and TikTok logo are seen in this illustration taken January 19, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

China rebuffed on Thursday a suggestion from US President Donald Trump that he might offer to reduce tariffs on the country to get Beijing's approval for the sale of popular social media platform TikTok.

Trump said this month the United States was in talks with four groups interested in acquiring TikTok, with the app facing an uncertain future in the country, AFP said.

A US law has ordered TikTok to divest from its Chinese owner ByteDance or be banned in the United States, enacted over concerns that Beijing could exploit the video-sharing platform to spy on Americans or covertly influence US public opinion.

The law took effect on January 19, a day before Trump's inauguration, but he quickly announced a delay that has allowed it to continue to operate.

That delay is set to expire on April 5.

Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he could give China "a little reduction in tariffs or something to get it done".

"We're going to have a form of a deal," Trump said, adding that if it wasn't done in time, he would extend the deadline.

"China is going to have to play a role in that, possibly in the form of an approval and I think they'll do that."

Beijing swiftly rebuffed Trump's suggestion, with its foreign ministry saying that it has "repeatedly stated our position" on TikTok.

"The Chinese side's stance against imposing additional tariffs is also consistent and clear," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

'People's Bid for TikTok'

Trump similarly attempted to ban TikTok in the United States on national security concerns during his first stint in the White House.

TikTok temporarily shut down in the United States in January and disappeared from app stores as the deadline for the law approached, to the dismay of millions of users.

Trump suspended its implementation for two-and-a-half months after beginning his second term on January 20, seeking a solution with Beijing.

TikTok subsequently restored service in the United States and returned to the Apple and Google app stores in February.

Artificial intelligence (AI) startup Perplexity recently expressed its interest in buying TikTok.

Perplexity laid out in a blog post a vision for integrating its AI-powered internet search capabilities with the popular video-snippet sharing app.

"Combining Perplexity's answer engine with TikTok's extensive video library would allow us to build the best search experience in the world," the San Francisco-based firm said.

Although TikTok does not appear overly motivated regarding the sale of the app, potential buyers include an initiative called "The People's Bid for TikTok", launched by real estate and sports tycoon Frank McCourt's Project Liberty initiative.

Others in the running are Microsoft, Oracle and a group that includes Internet personality MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson.

"Any acquisition by a consortium of investors could in effect keep ByteDance in control of the algorithm, while any acquisition by a competitor would likely create a monopoly in the short form video and information space," Perplexity said in its post.

"All of society benefits when content feeds are liberated from the manipulations of foreign governments and globalist monopolists."