In celebration of AlUla Season, Saudi Arabia is hosting a variety of entertainment and immersive events for tourists up until March. This includes, for the first time, a unique experience by the Royal Commission for AlUla called Hegra After Dark, which is being held at night over the weekends until December 4.
The three-and-a-half-hour-long event aims to give tourists a sensory experience, encompassing taste and sight, and exploring the cosmology and astronomy of the Nabatean civilisation.
It is set in Jabal al-Khuraymat, one of the four necropolis areas to have survived, and starts off with Awaken the Senses and Enjoy the Silence. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of silence underneath the dark sky blanketed with stars as 1,750 candles light up the entrance of Tomb 100, one of the most beautiful in Hegra. The design of the seating areas is inspired by the Nabateans and engulfed in the aroma of incense.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more of Hegra:
Guests are then invited to watch a live show, located near Tomb of Malkiyun the Diviner, which highlights the importance of key moments in history in each of the heritage sites around Hegra, including the story of Queen Shuqailath.
The programme ends with a stargazing experience. The sky was fundamental to the Nabateans, as deities who had cosmological influence were worshipped and it was used as a guide and tool for navigation and agriculture. Studies have shown that evidence from Nabatean sites demonstrates astronomy may have played a vital role in the planning of city monuments and religious structures.
Every element of Hegra After Dark, from A to Z, pays homage to Nabataeans
Eman AlAnkari,
visitors experience and development director at Site Management Department of the Royal Commission of AlUla
Eman AlAnkari, visitors experience and development director at Site Management Department of the Royal Commission for AlUla, tells The National that Hegra After Dark was tailor-made for the season, as temperatures fall around the kingdom.
Careful attention has been paid to every detail, from the welcome drinks to the staff uniforms.
There is audio in English and Arabic giving you context and information about the history and tombs of Hegra, AlAnkari explains. "Every element, from A to Z, pays homage to Nabateans," she says.
The set-up aims to transport visitors back in time to this ancient era and even includes a light dinner using ingredients inspired by the Nabateans.
“After doing a gap analysis study, we curated a package comprising three attractions where people can enjoy Hegra in different ways," says AlAnkari.
She says the experience was curated based on RCU’s strategy objective to attract visitors who have enjoyed AlUla back for reparative visits, and it’s an experience that takes from archaeological studies that have provided unique insights into the Nabateans’ way of life, including what they tasted, smelt, heard, touched and saw.
The Royal Commission for AlUla wants people to contemplate, interact with and learn from history, but it has also paid attention to creating "Instagrammable" moments' for visitors, which is easy thanks to the picturesque surroundings.
More exciting activities for families are due to be announced soon, says AlAnkari.
"We want people to interact with heritage, families to be able to learn about the AlUla civilisation through engaging workshops and activities across the heritage sites."
More information is available at experiencealula.com
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
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