Qiddiya Lays Foundation for World’s Largest Entertainment Project

CEO of Qiddiya reveals more details on megaproject (Photo by Khaled Al-Khamis)
CEO of Qiddiya reveals more details on megaproject (Photo by Khaled Al-Khamis)
TT
20

Qiddiya Lays Foundation for World’s Largest Entertainment Project

CEO of Qiddiya reveals more details on megaproject (Photo by Khaled Al-Khamis)
CEO of Qiddiya reveals more details on megaproject (Photo by Khaled Al-Khamis)

CEO of Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) stressed that the entertainment megaproject will start receiving its first visitors in 2023.

He gave details on the project and five development areas with international standards, saying negotiations have been taking place with international investment funds.

Details of the Six Flags project will be unveiled in August, CEO Mike Reininger said during a ceremony to reveal more details on the general plan on Wednesday.

He noted that up to 50 companies are working on the project.

In response to a question by Asharq Al-Awsat on investments in Qiddiya, Reininger said negotiations with global investment funds are taking place, stressing that a number of investors and funds expressed interest in investing in the megaproject.

He said that more than $10 billion are spent each year by Saudis in tourism trips to destinations similar to Qiddiya but abroad, adding that the company aims at creating a competitive environment in the Kingdom.

“Whoever arrives in Saudi Arabia as a destination for tourism will look for entertainment sites and will find a convenient location for leisure tourism,” Reininger noted.

He explained that reaching Qiddiya will be easy with the availability of a metro linking Riyadh to it, affirming QIC’s work on setting up a train service linking central Riyadh directly to Qiddiya.

Regarding the challenges the desert environment poses for an entertainment project such as Qiddiya, Reininger said it took the issue into consideration while designing the project area.

Nine wells will be drilled and water will be delivered from Riyadh and later re-filtered, he explained.

“We look forward in Qiddiya to offer the project’s visitors rich experiences,” he said.

“For this reason,” he added, “we are committed to supporting these experiences in new and innovative means that come in line with the local culture and raising the level of personal and professional aspirations, contributing positively to Saudi Vision 2030.”

More than 20 architecture companies have been contracted to work on the project, and a team of more than 500 professionals from 30 countries assembled in conjunction with Danish architecture and building company Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), which is constructing tower blocks and arts, cultural and sports facilities.

In June, QIC unveiled the master plan of the mega entertainment city, which has been divided into five major development zones, namely Resort Core, City Center, Eco Core, Motion Core and the Golf and Residential Neighborhood.



Flynas Launches First Direct Flights Between Riyadh and Damascus After 12-Year Suspension

Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)
Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)
TT
20

Flynas Launches First Direct Flights Between Riyadh and Damascus After 12-Year Suspension

Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)
Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)

Saudi airline flynas has inaugurated direct flights between Riyadh and Damascus, becoming the first Saudi carrier to reconnect the two capitals after more than 12 years.

The move marks a significant milestone in the airline’s strategic expansion plan, launched under the slogan “Connecting the World to the Kingdom.”

The inaugural flight ceremony took place on Thursday at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, attended by Syrian chargé d’affaires in Riyadh Counselor Hussein Abdulaziz, along with representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and various media outlets.

Passengers traveling on the first flight to Damascus were welcomed with gifts, and the aircraft was greeted with a traditional water salute upon landing at Damascus International Airport. The reception was attended by the Saudi chargé d’affaires in Syria, along with officials from the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, Damascus Airport, and flynas.

According to a company statement, the relaunch of flights to Damascus reflects flynas’ commitment to strengthening Saudi-Syrian relations.

The airline had previously operated direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to several Syrian cities including Damascus, Aleppo, and Latakia.

The launch supports Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy, which aims to connect the Kingdom to 250 international destinations, handle 330 million passengers annually, and welcome 150 million tourists by 2030. It also aligns with the goals of the Pilgrim Experience Program, which facilitates easier access to the Two Holy Mosques.

Flynas currently operates 139 routes to over 70 domestic and international destinations across 30 countries, with more than 2,000 flights per week. Since its founding in 2007, the airline has served over 80 million passengers.

Under its expansion strategy, flynas aims to grow its network to 165 destinations, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.