Diriyah’s At-Turaif, Bujairi Terrace to Start Welcoming Visitors Next Week

The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Diriyah’s At-Turaif, Bujairi Terrace to Start Welcoming Visitors Next Week

The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The opening of At-Turaif neighborhood and the restaurants area in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah represents a very important event in the Diriyah Gate development project (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb inaugurated the UNESCO World Heritage sites At-Turaif and the Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah on Monday. Visitors will start flocking to the sites on Dec. 4, marking a new stage in the history of Diriyah.

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority held a special gala dinner for several World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) delegates who were present in Riyadh for the 22nd WTTC Global Summit.

The opening of At-Turaif and the Bujairi Terrace is a very important event for the Diriyah Gate Development project, which has a value of $63.2 billion.

Today, Bujairi Terrace includes more than 20 restaurants, including four Michelin-starred restaurants, and a group of carefully selected Saudi restaurants that serve a varied menu of traditional and contemporary cuisine.

DGDA Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo said that the opening of the neighborhood again to the public “represents the beginning of a new era in the history of Diriyah, which is a symbol that embodies the history and values of the Saudi nation as it has been preserved over the centuries.”

Inzerillo stressed that Diriyah, once again, is presented as a place for the meeting of global cultures.

“This event represents a clear confirmation of the long-term and ambitious national transformation that the DGDA contributes through its comprehensive project system, foremost of which is the preservation of the Saudi cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible,” said Inzerillo.

According to Inzerillo, the At-Turaif neighborhood represents one of the most important historical sites in Saudi Arabia.

Furthermore, Inzerillo stressed that the completion of a restaurants area in the Bujairi Terrace embodies the great and tangible progress of the DGDA’s contribution to the Quality of Life Program as one of the most important programs of “Saudi Vision 2030.”

The diversity offered by famous local and international restaurants will make Bujairi Terrace the first destination for luxury restaurants in the Kingdom.



Saudi Arabia Ranks 1st Regionally, 9th Globally and 6th in G20 in Geospatial Field

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 15, 2024. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Ranks 1st Regionally, 9th Globally and 6th in G20 in Geospatial Field

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 15, 2024. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), has significantly advanced its geospatial knowledge infrastructure readiness by moving from the 32nd place in 2022 to ninth in the 2025 Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure (GKI) Readiness Index. It ranked first in the Middle East and Arab world, and 6th among G20 nations.

The announcement was made during the first day of the Geospatial World Forum 2025, held in Madrid from April 22 to 25.

The GKI Readiness Index, developed by Geospatial World, is a strategic framework supported by the United Nations Statistics Division that aims to compare the readiness of countries in adopting geospatial knowledge and how their progress on the index promotes economic growth, sustainable development and digital transformation, said a GEOSA statement.

The GKI Readiness Index was built on several axes. The Kingdom ranked sixth globally in the policy axis through its pioneering experience in the governance of the national geospatial data system and the preparation of its policies, standards and specifications in accordance with international best practices.

It ranked seventh globally in the infrastructure axis for its pivotal role in unifying national efforts related to geospatial information, including building the national geospatial platform that represents the window of the national geospatial infrastructure available to benefit the public and private sectors, in addition to the academia, the non-profit sector, and individuals.

The Kingdom ranked eighth in the geospatial industry axis, which highlights its constructive role in building strategic partnerships in all sectors.

The Kingdom's progress in this index reflects the unlimited support given to the survey and geospatial information sector by the wise Saudi leadership and the minister of defense and chairman of GEOSA Board of Directors.

This support has led to the Kingdom assuming a leading position at the regional and global levels in the forefront of its peers among developed countries in the geospatial field. This progress also led to Riyadh being chosen as the headquarters for the United Nations Global Geospatial Ecosystem Center of Excellence, positioning the Kingdom as a global leader in innovative geospatial information management.

‏The GEOSA works, according to its mandate, to organize the survey, geospatial information and imaging sector in the Kingdom, including the adoption and development of the national geospatial infrastructure, and the establishment of basic and guiding standards and controls related to the sector to achieve the integrated use of the geospatial information system among all the stakeholders.