AlUla Development Company Launches Operations to Turn the City into Global Tourism Destination

AlUla Development Company will work closely with local and international experts in architecture, construction, design and heritage conservation
AlUla Development Company will work closely with local and international experts in architecture, construction, design and heritage conservation
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AlUla Development Company Launches Operations to Turn the City into Global Tourism Destination

AlUla Development Company will work closely with local and international experts in architecture, construction, design and heritage conservation
AlUla Development Company will work closely with local and international experts in architecture, construction, design and heritage conservation

AlUla Development Company is launching operations to support the development of AlUla in Western Saudi Arabia.

The company, which is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), plans to deliver hospitality, residential, retail and infrastructure projects as part of the tourism push.

The entity will work in collaboration with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) and private sector entities to support the development and operation of a world-class portfolio of global hospitality, residential, retail, commercial and infrastructure assets.

The planned developments include 7,500+ hotel keys, 5,000 residential units, a staff village comprising 1,000+ units, supporting infrastructure, and more, said a statement issued Monday.

AlUla Development Company will work closely with local and international experts in architecture, construction, design and heritage conservation to deliver the sustainable transformation of AlUla, it added.

"AlUla Development Company will create jobs and opportunities for local businesses and communities whilst preserving one of the world’s largest and oldest cultural sites," the statement said.

"The company’s mandate is in line with PIF’s strategy on unlocking the capabilities of promising sectors in Saudi Arabia that can help drive the diversification of the economy, increase private sector engagement and improve quality of life to support Saudi Arabia’s position regionally and internationally as a leading tourism and cultural destination in line with Vision 2030."



Black Friday Data Shows US Shoppers Spent $10.8 Bln Online

A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
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Black Friday Data Shows US Shoppers Spent $10.8 Bln Online

A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)
A woman and a child look at shops in a mall on Black Friday in Arlington, Virginia on November 29, 2024. (AFP)

US shoppers used their mobile phones, laptops, desktops and other devices to make roughly $10.8 billion in purchases online on Black Friday, an updated tally from Adobe Analytics showed.

Black Friday, the day after American Thanksgiving, marks the official start of the holiday shopping season for retailers and competition has intensified among retailers to win every penny-pinched shopper seeking discounts.

Increased online shopping potentially favors e-commerce giants such as Amazon.com and Walmart. Walmart, which operates 4,700 US stores, has invested heavily in store-to-home deliveries for the holiday season to boost e-commerce.

US spending online on Black Friday rose 10.2%, said Adobe, which keeps track of devices that use its software to help power more than 1 trillion visits to  US retail sites.

Corey Coscioni, 58, said he looked for bargains online as well as in stores on Black Friday, seeking "gifts for everyone: my wife, my daughter, and myself."

Top selling merchandise online included makeup, skincare and haircare products, as well as bluetooth speakers and espresso machines, Adobe said on Saturday.

Online sales of toys rose 622% compared to average daily sales in October, while jewelry sales rose 561% and appliances spiked 476% compared to October, it added.

Department store chains such as Macy's and Kohl's as well as big-box retailer Target could see muted sales this season, which is shorter with only 26 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In 2023, US shoppers spent $9.8 billion online on Black Friday, and in 2022, they spent $9.1 billion, Adobe said.