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Saudi Govt. Spending Increases 25% at End of Third Quarter

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet session (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet session (SPA)
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Saudi Govt. Spending Increases 25% at End of Third Quarter

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet session (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a cabinet session (SPA)

In a new sign that confirms the strength and vitality of the Saudi economy, non-oil revenues jumped 48 percent by the end of the third quarter of 2018 compared to the same period last year, while the volume of government spending increased 25 percent during the same period.

Saudi cabinet on Tuesday commended these latest figures, which reflect the positive results of reform measures and tremendous efforts to develop the economy.

The cabinet pointed out that the 48 percent growth of non-oil revenues and 25 percent growth of government spending contributed effectively to supporting economic growth.

These positive developments coincided with Saudi Arabia’s announcement of the 2019 budget, where total spending is expected to reach $295 billion, 7 percent higher than this year’s.

Meeting in Riyadh, the government also approved the amendment of Articles (4) and (5) of the Telecommunications Law, as part of its attempt to increase the efficiency of the telecommunications sector and boost the local economy.

Article 4 states that telecommunication services can only be provided through companies offering their shares for public offering, while Article 5 stipulates that license to provide mobile telecommunications services is subject to cabinet’s approval.

The decision to provide mobile telecom services through joint stock companies holds major economic and developmental significance. This decision will improve the financial and administrative performance of companies, in addition to adding value to the local financial market by listing more companies that operate.

Specialized reports show that the number of mobile subscribers by the end of last year was about 40 million, while pre-paid subscribers reached 74.8 percent. Last year’s number of subscriptions to telecommunications services was about 126.7 percent compared to the population.

The Communications and Information Technology Commission reported that the number of landlines at the end of last year was 3.6 million.

Regarding broadband services, the report showed that subscribers over the mobile networks by the end of last year reached 29.7 million, while subscribers through fixed networks reached 2.5 million.

According to the published financial results of listed companies of the ICT sector in the Saudi stock market, positive growth reached 6.04 percent during the first nine months of 2018, compared to the same period last year.

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Business

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."