Middle East and North Africa

Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul Tulip Festival attracts visitors from MENA region

Istanbul - Arab Today

The 12th edition of the Istanbul Tulip Festival, organized by Turkish Airlines to empower Istanbul’s tourism sector, concluded last week. For the third time in a row, the airline invited over 250 participants from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), to attend the festival. These included agencies, media members and social media influencers. They participated in a commercialRead more

Air Arabia inaugural Baku flight takes off

Sharjah - Arab Today

Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC), launched its inaugural service to Baku last week. This new flight marks Air Arabia’s first entrance into Azerbaijan and its expanding travel market. An official delegation including Sheikh Fahim Al-Qasimi, executive chairman of the department of government relations — Sharjah, and the Emirati ambassador to AzerbaijanRead more

Businesses should not take ‘one size fits all’ approach to Mideast

Jeddah - Arab Today

The Arab world has “tremendous potential” but businesses’ strategies should account for big market variations in the region, a prominent consultant has said. Ramez Shehadi, executive vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton in the Middle East and North Africa, told CNN’s weekly business show “Marketplace Middle East” that there are significant growth opportunities in the region. “We think today thatRead more

Ghanem says conflict affects trade between Jordan, Syria, Iraq

Oman - Arab Today

Hafez Ghanem, World Bank's Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, met with Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Mulki and a number of ministers and officials. After the meeting, Ghanem said that he identified the bank'spriorities with the Jordanian government, which includes the sectors of education, infrastructure, and investment in, and governance and improve government services, and enhancing theRead more

Snow time like the present: Cairo gets its own indoor ski park

Cairo - Arab Today

The Egyptian capital is in for a cold snap after UAE-based developer Majid Al Futtaim opened a 165-000-square-meter shopping complex in Cairo Thursday, complete with an indoor ski slope similar to Ski Dubai. The new mall – named The Mall of Egypt – is also home to a games arcade and multi-screen VOX cinema with a total of 21 theatersRead more

Dubai’s DFSA regulates first peer to peer lender

Dubai - Arab Today

Dubai-based Beehive said on Sunday it had become the first peer-to-peer lender to become regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the regulator for the Middle East and North Africa’s largest financial center. After emerging in response to a shrinking in bank lending following the financial crisis of 2008, peer-to-peer lending is gradually taking off, with loans from suchRead more

Endorsing for 1st time resident Egyptian diplomat at NATO

Brussels - Arab Today

Endorsing for first time a resident Egyptian diplomat at NATO marks a new stage of cooperation between Egypt and NATO. This will offer Egypt a great chance to expound its vision on the challenges besetting the Middle East and North Africa regions. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is due to visit NATO HQ in Brussels on Monday where he will holdRead more

Action announces fresh corporate identity

Jeddah - Arab Today

Action Global Communications announced the launch of the agency’s new corporate identity, which reflects the company’s strategic transformation — now being led by its new CEO, Chris Christodoulou, who has taken over from the group’s founder Tony Christodoulou. Established 45 years ago, Action has always focused on emerging markets and is now the leading independent communications network in Russia, CIS,Read more

Google pledges to continue cooperation with KACST

Riyadh - Arab Today

A visiting Google official on Tuesday pledged to continue cooperation with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in information technology (IT) and communication. The talks, between KACST President Prince Dr. Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saud, and Kent Walker, Google senior vice president for public policy affairs and social investment, were held at the KACST headquarters inRead more

‘Saudi Arabia is an emerging logistics hub’

Jeddah - Arab Today

With the global logistics market growing rapidly and is expected to generate $15.5 trillion in revenues by 2024, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is fast emerging as the hub of logistics industry, said a report issued by Al-Masah Capital. In the region, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the most attractive targets for logisticsRead more