Global Alliance for Railway Project to Link Eastern and Western Saudi Arabia

Officials speak at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Municipal Investment Forum on Tuesday (Yazid Al-Samrani)
Officials speak at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Municipal Investment Forum on Tuesday (Yazid Al-Samrani)
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Global Alliance for Railway Project to Link Eastern and Western Saudi Arabia

Officials speak at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Municipal Investment Forum on Tuesday (Yazid Al-Samrani)
Officials speak at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Municipal Investment Forum on Tuesday (Yazid Al-Samrani)

Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser unveiled on Tuesday an international coalition led by a Chinese company, with 11 other international firms, to complete the design of the railway Landbridge Project that will connect the eastern and western parts of the Kingdom.

The minister pointed to the presence of 22 investment opportunities, including four regional airports, to be offered to the private sector.

He made his comments at the second edition of the Municipal Investment Forum (Furas), which was held in Riyadh and attended by a number of ministers and officials.

He noted that partnership and cooperation with the municipal and housing system, and the national strategy for transportation and logistics included investments exceeding 600 billion riyals ($160 billion).

Speaking during the same event, Majid Al-Hogail, Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, announced the adoption of the Municipal Investment Portal (Furas) as a unified national portal for offering real estate investment opportunities with Saudi government agencies.

Al-Hogail added that municipal investments were related to five programs of Vision 2030, including privatization, housing, quality of life, serving the guests of Rahman, and financial sustainability.

Eng. Khaled Al-Falih, Minister of Investment, talked about the distribution of investment opportunities according to the National Investment Strategy, which was estimated at 12.4 trillion riyals ($3.3 trillion).

He explained that 20 percent of investments went to the real estate sector at a value of 2.5 trillion riyals ($666 billion), while 14 percent for transportation and logistics services, at a value of 1.7 trillion riyals ($453 billion), followed by tourism (9 percent), with a value of 1.1 trillion riyals ($293 billion).

Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, stated that the National Strategy for Industry enables Saudi Arabia to embrace advanced industries with high economic value, revealing efforts to increase the number of factories from 12,000 to 36,000 in the next stage.

On the sidelines of the event, Al-Hogail attended the signing of three agreements, including an executive program agreement for bilateral cooperation between his ministry and South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The forum featured more than 5,000 investment opportunities, suitable for all segments of investors, including entrepreneurs, owners of small and medium enterprises, and large investors in various economic activities across Saudi cities.



Saudi Tourism Forum 2025 Kicks Off in Riyadh with Over 100 Participants

The Saudi Tourism Forum 2025 kicked off on Tuesday in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Tourism Forum 2025 kicked off on Tuesday in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Tourism Forum 2025 Kicks Off in Riyadh with Over 100 Participants

The Saudi Tourism Forum 2025 kicked off on Tuesday in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Tourism Forum 2025 kicked off on Tuesday in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Riyadh is hosting the third edition of the Saudi Tourism Forum 2025, featuring participation from over 100 organizations. The forum provides a comprehensive platform to showcase the latest advancements in the tourism sector, highlight investment opportunities, develop skills, and establish new partnerships to accelerate tourism growth in the Kingdom.

Taking place from January 7 to 9, the event is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the Saudi Tourism Authority, and the Tourism Development Fund.

Mohammed Basrawi, Chief Domestic Tourism Officer at the Saudi Tourism Authority, emphasized in his opening remarks the sector’s continuous growth and record-breaking achievements, driven by innovative products and services.

“In 2023, we celebrated welcoming 100 million visitors to the Kingdom, a milestone that reflects the ambitions of Vision 2030 and the support of our wise leadership,” he said.

Basrawi highlighted the success of the previous forum, which attracted over 28,000 visitors from 100 entities, facilitated the signing of 62 agreements, including nine with the Saudi Tourism Authority, and led to the launch of more than 20 new initiatives and products.

This year’s forum will feature additional partnerships, commercial opportunities, and international and local promotional campaigns to further establish Saudi Arabia as a leading global tourism destination, he added.

Khalid Al-Shareef, spokesperson for the Tourism Development Fund, shared insights with Asharq Al-Awsat on the forum’s sidelines, stating that the fund is overseeing more than 135 qualified projects across the Kingdom, with a total investment exceeding SAR 40 billion ($10.7 billion). These include the development of over 8,800 hotel rooms in cities such as Abha, Al-Baha, Taif, AlUla, and Madinah, extending tourism projects beyond major hubs like Riyadh, Jeddah, and the Eastern Province.

Al-Shareef identified the Asir region as a key area of focus due to its diverse geography, attracting both domestic and international tourists, particularly in the summer. He noted that the southern region hosts 15 projects worth SAR 2.6 billion and emphasized the importance of sustained support from both the Public Investment Fund and private sector companies.

Since its inception, the forum has achieved significant milestones, spotlighting Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage and unique tourism offerings while advancing the shared vision of developing this vital sector.

The event features a diverse program of seminars and workshops on the latest tourism trends and developments, enabling participants to engage with industry leaders, policymakers, and experts while enhancing the skills of professionals in the sector.