“Ahlan wa sahlan [welcome], nawartina [pleased to have you in] Riyadh.”
The greeting to tourists at Riyadh airport comes from two young Saudi men working as hospitality agents, one wearing a thobe and shimag – the traditional white robe and red-and-white-checked head covering – and the other in Yeezys, cargo pants and T-shirt with a map of Saudi Arabia on it.
It's a fair representation of youth in Saudi Arabia today – strongly rooted in their own culture while embracing others.
It is also a sign of the transformation in the kingdom since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 38, launched Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan six years ago, ushering in a new era not just for the economy but for the mostly young population. Saudis now are choosing to stay in the kingdom as opposed to going abroad – a dramatic shift in attitude and thinking.
The change is reflected on the streets of the Saudi capital as well. Outside Riyadh's airport, a group of Saudi and foreign football players are waiting for their cars – a reminder that this is the city that stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar now call home.
Along with international football stars, luxury brands, international businesses and restaurants have all set up base in Riyadh.
The city of nearly eight million people is not just the kingdom's financial centre, it is also a major leisure hub. Preparations are under way for the fourth edition of Riyadh Season – a five-month celebration of art, luxury and entertainment events that kicks off later this month.
Celebrity sightings are becoming the norm in the kingdom as it draws increasing numbers of tourists – one of the goals of Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia attracted 16.5 million visitors from abroad last year.
Riyadh hosted an event to mark the United Nations World Tourism Day on September 27 at which Hollywood actor Winston Duke, known for his role in Black Panther and other Marvel films, was announced as the Ambassador for Responsible Tourism.
The diverse and changing atmosphere in Riyadh is noticeable even in daily life. Among the crowd clustered outside a new Greek yoghurt stand near King Saud University are women who choose to not wear the once mandatory abaya and others who prefer to remain covered head-to-toe in the black robe, while their young daughters are clearly fans of K-pop, a huge influence on young Saudis, with purple streaks in their hair and anime stickers on their phones.
"I love K-pop. I attended Blackpink's concert in Riyadh – it was my dream come true. I am even learning Korean on YouTube," says Reem Alabbad, 14.
The university, meanwhile, a 10-minute walk away, is hosting the Riyadh International Book Fair, where more than 1,800 publishing houses their books on display. Oman is the guest of honour at the 10-day event, which is expected to welcome more than a million visitors.
More than 200 readings, seminars and workshops will be held by the time the fair closes on October 7.
At the exit, a young Saudi woman wearing a beige jacket and trousers bids farewell to departing visitors.
"There's an iced coffee stand outside if you're feeling hot. I hope you enjoyed your time and will visit us soon," she says with a smile.
"Nawartina."
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
