Saudi Arabia, March 18, 2019:   Knight Frank is pleased to announce the release of the inaugural edition of Urban Futures, a report which tackles the increasingly prominent global topic of housing affordability and discusses  how cities are looking to alleviate affordability pressures. For the first issue the focus has been put on six cities which have been at the forefront of the affordability debate. A spotlight has been included on Riyadh, where we have seen affordability come to the forefront of the agenda particularly as cultural and social attitudes change at a rapid pace.   In the report, 32 cities around the world were assessed and ranked based on a Global Affordability Monitor to understand the scale of the affordability challenge in each one of them.  Three important elements were taken into ......read more

3D printing will revolutionize the water experience at home Bathroom and kitchen solutions complement latest trends with vast range of color finishes across all draw off points, flush plates and accessories  From smart home to smart buildings: creating an intelligent ecosystem for water security and water management  13 March 2019:   Consumers are fundamentally changing how they define and use their living spaces. GROHE has identified five mega trends: Consumers have risen from passive consumption to taking control over the creation of new living spaces and have become creators themselves in seeking simplicity and intelligent product solutions. Today, more than ever, product innovation and design depend on an empathetic understanding of these trends as consumers are inclined to choose integrated ......read more

The hotel has been recognized for its top-notch hospitality services at the global travel portal Booking.com The hotel received higher guest review score of 8.1 reflecting a high level of guest satisfaction in the hotel quality services   Makkah, KSA (06 March 2019): M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, a 5-star hotel located in the heart of the holy city of Makkah, was recognized for its top-notch hospitality services at the global travel portal Booking.com’s Guest Review Awards 2018.    The hotel received a guest review score of 8.1 reflecting a high level of guest satisfaction in the hotel quality services whilst consolidating its position as a leading luxury hotel combining modern touches with traditional hospitality to provide the warmest welcome to Makkah Al Mukarramah ......read more

The premier construction show in the Kingdom, The Big 5 Saudi, unveils record-breaking education agenda with 80 workshops across four days. Dedicated to “Educating and empowering construction professionals to achieve Saudi Vision 2030”, The Big 5 Saudi 2019 agenda is free to attend and CPD-certified. The 9th edition of the event runs from 10-13 March 2019 at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events.     February 26, 2019 - Dubai, UAE 80 experts and opinion leaders from around the globe will gather in Jeddah from 10-13 March 2019 to take part in the record-breaking education platform for construction professionals hosted by The Big 5 Saudi 2019. The leading construction event in the Kingdom announced a 48% increase in the number of free and CPD-certified workshops on offer this year, all ......read more

Sale to run from Monday 25th to Thursday 28th of February with up to 70% off a wide range of products 25 February 2019: SOUQ is back with its biggest sale of the season, ‘Everything For You Sale’. From the 25th to the 28th of February, customers across the UAE, KSA and Egypt can enjoy up to 70% discounts on products for their lifestyle directly on www.souq.com or the SOUQ app. The fourth edition of SOUQ’s biggest sale of the season is designed to cater to every need of every customer, from fashion and beauty products, to home and gardening supplies to the latest electronics, groceries and more. SOUQ has value deals on a big selection of products that can be conveniently delivered to the customer’s doorstep. Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO & Co-Founder, SOUQ.com, says “We are excited to bring back the ......read more

Saudi (February 12, 2019) – Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa has appointed Samy Boukhaled as Vice President of Operations for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia region.  Boukhaled has more than 29 years of experience in the industry, having held several leadership roles with hotel companies such as Accor and Sofitel. He has worked in countries such as France, Bahrain, Morocco and KSA. Reporting to Kevork Deldelian, Chief Operating Officer of Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, Boukhaled will oversee all operational aspects of the brand’s strategic expansion in the KSA region where several properties are to open this year, adding to its already extensive portfolio across the kingdom.  “We are delighted to welcome Samy to our executive team. Saudi Arabia is a key strategic focus for the ......read more

24 January 2019:   IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with Bougary Holding Co. to develop Crowne Plaza® Makkah Beban. Scheduled to open in December 2019, the new hotel comprising 1200 rooms will be world’s largest Crowne Plaza® and will be a landmark hotel for IHG.  Strategically located in close proximity to the Holy Mosque, the hotel will join the existing InterContinental® and Holiday Inn® in the city and cater to the influx of pilgrim visits expected as part of Vision 2030. IHG is the largest international hotel group in Saudi Arabia, both by number of hotels and number of rooms, and the latest signing is aligned with the company’s strategy to expand its footprint in the kingdom. Crowne ......read more

Saudi Arabia, January 20, 2019:  M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, a 5-star hotel located in the heart of the holy city of Makkah, honored its employees on its 2nd anniversary, in recognition of their great efforts and contribution to upgrade the hotel to the 19th position in Makkah region, besides winning two international awards. The 2nd anniversary ceremony was attended by the hotel guests and staffs, and entertained in the presence of a number of celebrities from the Makkah’s Arts of Hijaz, including the vocalists Alaa Fida and Ahmed Fattan, and the Pakistani vocalist Asad Qureshi who performed the beautiful folk songs of Hijaz region & Islamic anthems. The ceremony was followed by another celebration in honor of the employees for their great efforts and contribution to upgrade the hotel on TripAdvisor to the 19th ......read more

The event will aid the two countries in their strategic partnership for boosting economic ties and developing opportunities for trade and growth 9th of January 2019:   Breakbulk Middle East (BBME), a yearly conference gathering top industry leaders and experts from around the world, will be reiterating its goal of enhancing economic collaboration between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The event, held under the patronage of  Dr.Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, the UAE Minister of Infrastructure Development and the Chairman of Federal Transport Authority for Land and Maritime, will be taking place in Dubai for its fourth edition from 11th  February to 12th February 2019, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.  It will aim to highlight the major issues related to the industry aspiring to unite key players in breakbulk and ......read more

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, January 8. 2019:  SHUAA Capital psc (SHUAA), the UAE-based financial services group is pleased to announce the issuance and private placement of a USD135 million SAR 506 million dollar-denominated five-year Sukuk for Jabal Omar Development Company (JODC), one of the largest publicly-listed real estate companies in Saudi Arabia as it seeks to strategically diversify its capital base. SHUAA acted as the sole arranger for the Sukuk , (The Sukuk was originally issued in the 2nd half of 2018). The Sukuk represents a fitting choice of financing for JODC, given the long-term nature of its requirements as a real estate developer and its focus on the holy city of Makkah. It also reflects a growing trend for Sukuk issuances, which raised $97.79 billion globally in 2017, up 45 per cent year on year, and particularly ......read more

Suadi Arabia, December 26, 2018:  The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), the Saudi Building Code National Committee (SBCNC), and the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) have signed a partnership to support The Big 5 Saudi (10-13 March 2019, Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events), organisers dmg events announce. At the event, the governmental organizations, which are committed to protect consumers and strengthen the competitiveness of the national economy, will provide crucial intelligence to local and international participants, paving the way for the future development of the Saudi construction industry. The partnerships come at a time when more than 5,200 projects are under construction in the Kingdom, and confirm The Big 5 Saudi’s role as a key platform to advance the sector and meet the ......read more

Family Suite Promotion starting from 333 SR Makkah, KSA (23 December 2018):   M Hotel Makkah by Millennium, a 5-star hotel located in the heart of the holy city of Makkah, is your ultimate place to create unforgettable memories with your family. With excellent facilities combined with superior hospitality, both adult and young guests are guaranteed the sweetest escape in the city. The hotel recently unveiled its Family Suite package giving families plenty of reasons to enjoy the winter season. With rates starting from 333 Saudi Riyal, guests will stay in one of the hotel’s luxurious and spacious suites featuring the best amenities, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi internet connection, 25% discount on food and beverages and 25% discount on laundry. The package comes with breakfast and facility for an early check in and ......read more

Riyadh,19 Dec.,2018 –   Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski is proud to announce the appointment of Chef Fahad Abdullah Saleh Bukhari as Executive Chef. Fahad Bukhari comes with 17 years of experience having worked as Head Chef at Saudi Arabian Airlines, Executive Chef at Palace of the Queens - Jeddah, and later became Banquet Chef at Jeddah Hilton Hotel. He also held the position of Chef de Cuisine for the Western Kitchen at HRH Prince Al Waleed bin Talal’s palace. For presenting the Saudi cuisine in its authenticity Chef Fahad has won several medals and awards in national and international competitions, among them the award for “Best Hygiene and Food Safety” by Saudi Airlines Catering as well as three years in a row the award at “Top Chef” for his food exhibitions. Furthermore he was a member ......read more

40% of entertainment plans to be funded by private sector. 16 entertainment complexes and three additional leisure hubs to be delivered by 2030. Tourism figures expected to reach 26 million inbound visitors by 2023. 18 December 2018:   Saudi Arabia’s real estate market is expected to experience exponential growth as the Kingdom focuses on advancing its entertainment and tourism sectors – according to a new whitepaper released by leading global real estate advisor CBRE.   CBRE, which began operations in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, shared its key insights on the Kingdom’s fledgling entertainment and tourism sectors as part of its whitepaper titled Entertainment in Saudi Arabia: The Game Changer. The report predicts that, fueled by public and private investments and as part of its ......read more

Saudi Arabia, December 17, 2018:  This paper provides a review of the hospitality sector in Makkah and analyses how the market’s fundamentals are anticipated to change over the coming years in light of the wide-ranging initiatives, national reform programs and infrastructure projects set to be delivered in the short to medium term.   “As large infrastructure projects reach completion, the traditional demand-side bottlenecks related to capacity constraints will be alleviated allowing for increased visitation and revenue inflows, which will ultimately uplift hotel values in the medium to long term.” While most hospitality markets in the GCC are driven by traditional demandsupply mechanics, Makkah – for which religious visitation makes up the majority of demand – works slightly differently, ......read more

Merited for best Service, Family and Luxury hotel among 670 hotels in Makkah Province by Travellers on the World’s Largest Travel Site Makkah, KSA, 13 December, 2018:   Makkah Millennium Hotel, the luxury hotel serving the pilgrims coming to Makkah and located directly over the Holy Haram Piazza, has been consistently ranked one of the top two hotels in Makkah province in 2018 by TripAdvisor. Makkah Millennium Hotel was placed alternatively between Top One and Top Two best hotel among 670 Hotels in Makkah, KSA, based on thousands of positive reviews and opinions collected from TripAdvisor travellers worldwide. Saad Khayat, General Manager, Makkah Millennium Hotel and Towers expressed his gratitude for the hotel’s recognition on the website, saying: “It is an honour to be recognized as one of the top ......read more

Stay more and pay less from 28 November till 4 December Saudi Arabia, November 21, 2018:  Makkah Millennium Hotel and Towers, the luxury hotel serving the pilgrims coming to Makkah and located directly over the Holy Haram Al Sharif Piazza and King Fahd Gate, joins the United Arab Emirates’ National Day Celebrations by offering its guests an exclusive “Stay More and Pay Less” package from 28 November to 4 December, 2018. On this occasion, guests can book any 4 nights but pay only for 3, in addition to an early check-in and late check-out. They can also enjoy 20% discount on all outlets and In Room Dining, besides High Speed Wi- Fi. Saad Khayat, General Manager of the 1,437-room property, said: "It is with pride that we participate in this great national holiday. The hotel and towers will reflect the ......read more

And “ITA’AM” project qualifies to the RECon awards in Las Vegas  November  5, 2018:   Continuing the great streak of success and achievements by maintaining the standards of excellence and innovation through campaigns that were launched throughout the year, the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah was crowned with the “ICSC Foundation” prestigious award and the RECon MENA awards at a ceremony (The Middle East and North Africa Retail and Shopping Center Awards 2018) held on October 30 at the Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Center. The awards, organized by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the Middle East Council of Shopping Centers (MECSC), are designed to recognize the most successful retail and retail centers, to boost net operating income, and to design and ......read more

Leading local and international interior design companies descend upon Riyadh  Riyadh, KSA, 1 November 2018:   Majid bin Abdulmohsen AlHokair, Vice Chairman of the Board of Al Hokair Group officially opened the inaugural edition of INDEX Saudi 2018, a new regional interior design show connecting more than 5,000 designers, architects, project managers and procurers. Welcoming recognised industry brand names from around the world, AlHokair toured the exhibition halls and met company representatives who have gathered in the Kingdom for the three-day event, which finished yesterday (1 November) at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The new trade show hosts more than 100 exhibitors and is showcasing 1,000s of brands which are set to contribute to the region’s burgeoning US$3 billion ......read more

October 24, 2018: Overview In a previous blog post we detailed the TRITON intrusion that impacted industrial control systems (ICS) at a critical infrastructure facility. We now track this activity set as TEMP.Veles. In this blog post we provide additional information linking TEMP.Veles and their activity surrounding the TRITON intrusion to a Russian government-owned research institute. TRITON Intrusion Demonstrates Russian Links; Likely Backed by Russian Research Institute FireEye Intelligence assesses with high confidence that intrusion activity that led to deployment of TRITON was supported by the Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (CNIIHM; a.k.a. ЦНИИХМ), a Russian government-owned technical research institution located in Moscow. The following factors ......read more

DAAR pursues off-plan sales license from the Ministry of Housing  Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 21 October, 2018:   Dar Al Arkan, the largest listed real estate developer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today announced that it has submitted a request to ETMAM, the Developers Services Centre at the Saudi Ministry of Housing, for the accreditation of three comprehensive development projects in Shams Ar Riyadh, totaling over 1.936 million square meters. The company also applied for the issuance of off-plan sales license for projects under construction in Shams Ar Riyadh.  The new masterplans involve three zones in the iconic Shams Ar Riyadh development, which is strategically located on King Khalid Road. The comprehensive development in Zone 1 will be built over an 849,000 square metres area. The Zone 3 ......read more

A Talent Development Programme for National Colleagues in GCC countries Riyadh, KSA, October 20, 2018:   Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa, one of the fastest growing hotel management companies in the region, today launched one of its key initiatives, ‘TooMooH’, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Translated literally as ambition, TooMooH is a talent development programme established by Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa to meet its rapidly expanding talent acquisition needs across the Middle East where it aims to operate 100 hotels by the year 2020. The programme reflects the brand’s vision to have an active role in the inclusion and development of GCC nationals in the region’s burgeoning hospitality industry. A press event was held at Copthorne ......read more

The award rewards and celebrates excellence across all sectors of the travel and tourism industry Makkah, KSA, 14 October, 2018:   Makkah Millennium Hotel and Towers, the luxury hotel serving the pilgrims coming to Makkah and located directly over the Holy Haram Piazza, is the proud recipient of the coveted “Best 5-Star Hotel 2018” award presented at the Middle East Gala Ceremony of the Arabian Travel Awards 2018 held recently in Dubai. Arabian Travel Awards is a platform for the Middle East to recognize those behind the success of the Travel & Hospitality industry to make them believe they are achievers. It serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the Middle East hospitality industry. Kevork Deldelian, Chief Operating Officer at Millennium Hotels and Resorts - Middle ......read more

INDEX Saudi prepares to host thousands of designers, architects, buyers in Riyadh this month as interior design boom grows momentum    9 October 2018:  Thousands of designers, architects and buyers representing hundreds of international suppliers are descending upon Riyadh this month to capitalise on the boom in interior design spending across the Kingdom.   Saudi Arabia accounts for almost one third (32%) of the total GCC interior design market spend, some SAR11.25 billion of a total SAR35.6 billion, according to a recent Ventures report commissioned by INDEX Saudi, the new design exhibition which runs at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 30 October to 1 November.   The renewed demand for high quality interior design and fit out services in the Kingdom can be ......read more

Riyadh, 26 September 2018:   In honor of Saudi National Day, Al Faisaliah Hotel Riyadh hosted a 3-day celebration at the hotel, offering guests a range of festive experiences and extraordinary culinary treats in line with the historic day. The event was well-received, with a remarkable number of guests attending from all across the Kingdom.   A key part of Saudi history, the day celebrates the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by King Abdulaziz in 1932 and symbolizes the ideals and hopes of the Kingdom. It provides a sentiment of pride for the country and symbolizes a sense of appreciation by the citizens, being proud of everything that the country has achieved.  The national day celebration also comes in line with highlighting the strong hospitality market in the kingdom, which has ......read more