The telecommunications sector is forever in a state of flux as companies fight to seek supremacy in their respective markets—and that is especially true in the Middle East, where telecom operators are fighting to be the first to establish a commercially available 5G network. Ultimately, the goal is to increase revenue and overall business performance… Read More…
Once a prominent banking hub in the Middle East, Lebanon sustained heavy damage to its infrastructure following decades of political and social unrest. In the early 2000s, a host of countries gathered on multiple occasions at international donor conferences to pledge support for Lebanon. Recently, the CEDRE conference in April 2018 drew representatives from 51… Read More…
As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to shift its economic reliance away from crude oil due to a drastic decline in prices, it has placed an emphasis on developing tourism and mega-city projects. Its ambitious Red Sea Project aims to transform 50 untouched islands into a world-renowned resort and hospitality destination, while another 10,230-square-mile… Read More…
In the past, Saudi Arabia’s tourist industry has primarily been as a religious destination, through the Umrah or Hajj pilgrimages. However, in line with Vision 2030, the kingdom is seeking to diversify its economy beyond fossil fuel production and invest heavily in its tourism sector. Saudi Arabia recently began construction on the expansive Qiddiya Project.… Read More…
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative was established by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs under the guidance of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. As part of this initiative, Saudi Arabia is working toward diversifying its economy and creating a vibrant society with a wealth of cultural and entertainment options. Earlier in 2018, the… Read More…
The telecom sector in the Middle East is as competitive as ever as operators seek supremacy in product offerings and customer satisfaction, particularly in regard to 5G networks. A number of operators in the region have already launched and tested 5G networks with plans for commercial rollout in 2019. The following are four recent developments… Read More…
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consistently scores high in a variety of measures relating to tourism and is actively working to improve its status as a tourist destination even further. Numbeo recently ranked Abu Dhabi and Dubai first and 11th, respectively, on its list of the world’s safest cities, while Dubai finished first ahead of… Read More…
Despite being the second-largest oil producer in the world behind the United States, Saudi Arabia is working to reduce its economic reliance on the oil and gas sector. So while oil revenue increased by 2 percent in the first quarter of 2018 from the same period a year prior, non-oil revenue climbed a whopping 63… Read More…
Road congestion is a major issue in the Middle East, particularly in Dubai, where, according to a study by Inrix, motorists spent nearly 29 hours stuck in traffic in 2017. As a result, the demand for transport by other means, such as railway, has grown considerably.@dan Similar problems exist across the other five Gulf Cooperation… Read More…
Like several other Middle East countries, Oman is dedicated to improving its economy through increased investment in non-oil exports. In particular, aligned with expectations set out in Vision 2040 and the National 2040 Tourism Strategy, the country has placed emphasis on tourism growth and, in that regard, has registered record numbers of visitors over the… Read More…