Saudi Arabia Launches Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition

Visitors at the Jeddah International Tourism and Travel Exhibition 2024. (Photo by: Adnan Mahdali)
Visitors at the Jeddah International Tourism and Travel Exhibition 2024. (Photo by: Adnan Mahdali)
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Saudi Arabia Launches Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition

Visitors at the Jeddah International Tourism and Travel Exhibition 2024. (Photo by: Adnan Mahdali)
Visitors at the Jeddah International Tourism and Travel Exhibition 2024. (Photo by: Adnan Mahdali)

The Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (JTTX) 2024 kicked off at the Jeddah Superdome on Sunday.

The Jeddah Exhibition is hosting 250 local and international entities, including tourism bodies, the private sector, airlines, hotels, resorts, and specialized tourism companies, and seeking to attract more than 40,000 visitors, tourists, and specialists.

The Exhibition is hosting new companies from several countries, including Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chad, Mauritius, Cyprus, Hungary, Georgia, and other companies from AlUla.

The Jeddah Superdome is the largest geodesic dome in the world to ever stand without pillars and hosts multi-purpose exhibits, sports, shows, and international conferences.

President of the Exhibition’s organizing committee Maya Halfawi stated that the event will present a new vision for tourism.

She stressed that JTTX will be an ideal opportunity for companies and institutions to enhance their business and increase their presence in the growing Saudi market, in line with Vision 2030 goals.

Attracting visitors

The official pointed out that Saudi Arabia is a global tourist destination and a golden opportunity for exhibitors to meet new partners and attract potential customers through various professional marketing tools.

She added that the exhibition identifies the needs and goals of the Saudi market, establishes partnerships in the large travel market, and reaches senior executives and influential decision-makers.

The event is an ideal opportunity for companies and institutions in the travel and tourism industry to enhance their business and increase their presence in the growing Saudi market, she added.

JTTX hosts a wide range of products, making it an annual purchasing destination for travel enthusiasts and an opportunity for exhibitors to present their services and launch new products, attracting greater interest.

Egypt's Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ghada Shalaby revealed Cairo's plans to attract 30 million tourists in 2028, noting that about 15 million visitors arrived in the country last year.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the exhibition, Shalaby discussed the programs and facilities that Egypt provides to tourists and investors.

She touched on her country's launch of a five-year tourist visa worth $700 through embassies and consulates abroad, adding that Egypt grants electronic visas to 180 nationalities.

In its 12th edition, the Jeddah exhibition provides the opportunity to explore investment possibilities in tourism and provides advice on the latest offers, trends, and strategies to enjoy exceptional travel trips through workshops by specialized experts.

Encouraging domestic tourism

The exhibition is seeking to be a link between the participating parties and the travel market in Saudi Arabia to find new and unique ways of business cooperation by encouraging domestic and foreign tourism.

JTTX presents an opportunity for exhibitors to sustain existing partnerships, forge new collaborations, and attract potential customers by leveraging diverse professional marketing tools.

The current edition will focus on implementing partnerships and contracts between local and global parties participating in the exhibition.

The Kingdom has captured the world’s attention as a leading tourist destination. It is aspiring to attract 150 million visits and 70 million international tourists annually by 2030.

Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest-growing destinations in the world. In 2022, it ranked 13th among tourist destinations, and a year later, it landed the second position globally as the fastest-growing tourist destination.



EUROPE GAS-Prices Continue to Decline

Model of natural gas pipeline and Gazprom logo, July 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Model of natural gas pipeline and Gazprom logo, July 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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EUROPE GAS-Prices Continue to Decline

Model of natural gas pipeline and Gazprom logo, July 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Model of natural gas pipeline and Gazprom logo, July 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Dutch and British wholesale gas prices continued to declined on Tuesday morning on milder weather forecasts for next week, high wind speeds and stable supply.

The benchmark front-month contract at the Dutch TTF hub was down 0.61 euros at 46.65 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) at 0947 GMT, according to LSEG data.

The contract for March was down 0.52 euro at 46.63 euros/MWh.

In Britain, the front-month contract fell by 2.04 pence to 116.76 pence per therm.

In north-west Europe, although another cold snap is forecast from Friday over the weekend, the latest forecasts are showing milder temperatures than yesterday from Jan. 15, according to LSEG data, Reuters reported.

Wind speeds are expected to remain quite strong today, limiting gas demand.

However, in north-west Europe, gas-for-power demand is expected 36 million cubic metres (mcm) per day higher at 78 mcm/day on the day-ahead.

"Wind speeds are expected still high today, before dropping sharply tomorrow with the cold spell arriving," said LSEG gas analyst Saku Jussila.

In Britain, Peak wind generation is forecast at around 15.1 gigawatts (GW) today and 14.7 GW tomorrow, Elexon data showed.

Analysts at Engie EnergyScan said EU net storage withdrawals have slowed due to a more comfortable spot balance but the storage gap compared to last year remains high. On 5 January, EU gas stocks were 69.94% full on average, compared to 84.96% last year.

Looking further ahead, analysts at Jefferies expect a tight year for global gas markets due to project delays and higher-than-expected demand.

"European and Asian LNG spot gas prices in 2025 could surpass those of 2024, driven by Europe's increased gas injection needs and the loss of Russian exports outpacing the expected growth in global LNG supply," they said.

"Post 2025, the market is expected to loosen with an additional 175 million tonnes of new supply coming online between 2026 and 2030, primarily from the US and Qatar," they added.

In the European carbon market, the benchmark contract was down 0.91 euro at 73.45 euros a metric ton.