ArabWeeks

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Governor of Riyadh, has patronized the Opening Ceremony of Fairmont Hotel Riyadh located in the Business Gate Center on Sunday, the 14^th of April 2019, corresponding to the 9^th of Sha’ban 1440.

The Opening Ceremony began with recitation from Al-Quran, followed by a welcome speech by the Chairman of the Business Gate, Mr. Salamah bin Malhi bin Saedan,  thanking the patron of the ceremony as well as the audience for participating in the Launching of one of the greatest hospitality palaces, wishing that the hotel would be an interface that reflects the progress and development of the Tourism Sector and business activities in Riyadh, and a step in line with the vision of our wise and ambitious leadership in the National Transformation Program to increase and develop hospitality facilities, as well as to open more employment opportunities for the citizens. Furthermore, it is a contribution to the Tourism Sector in the local area to raise the level of luxury services in accordance with the Islamic values.Mr. Saedan also confirmed that this success was due to the Ideal Investment Climate provided by the Kingdom, which is an example for other countries.He added that the Kingdom was so confident through the past years in the Renaissance march, which makes it becomes a global destination for money and business until it reaches the forefront of the world economically. This is because it has adopted a clear policy based on the principle of excellence and creativity in all fields. He also added that we have worked very hard to adopt all innovative and creative ideas in the scope of our investments, to enhance competitiveness and improve the tourism and hotel sector, through applying the best international business practices and services, putting all the efforts to make this hotel reach the highest international standards, through a real blend between originality and modernity, to provide an exceptional atmosphere for visitors of this place, leaving an unforgettable impression of the Arab hospitality in full details and finest services.

He said: “We are not just launching this hotel, but we are moving forward in a steady and confident steps to achieve our dreams inspired by a young vision that meets the aspirations of the people in our country who can translate his wishes into real successes, we are heading toward the progress of an economic boom that leads us to the ranks of developed countries”.

After that, a documentary about old and modern city of Riyadh, the Business Gate and Fairmont Hotel was presented. The dinner was then served in honor of Riyadh Governor and Saudi Arabian with cultural band “Ardhah” began to celebrate the ceremony.

The Business Gate is the first leading business center in the Kingdom, it was established as a city designed to meet regional and international business needs to support economic growth.

It is considered a commercial and social center based on the concept of “Everyone under one roof” that is committed to create a healthy and unique work environment in addition to the highest standards of success, effectiveness and satisfaction.

It is located close to King Khalid International Airport and offers a superb engineering structure with an intelligent security system as well as comprehensive landscapes and bodies of water.

Fairmont Hotel was designed to cater the diverse needs of both visitors and business travelers, providing the ultimate comfort to all its guests.

The hotel has 300 rooms, including 40 suites, containing a king suite and a presidential suite. The comfort blended with charming artistic touches, combines originality and modernity, to reflect the most beautiful city’s face in a high-end engineering design, providing a typical business environment. It is characterized by a modern environment that is distinguished by large halls for events and conferences  for more than 1400 guests, in addition to 10 meeting rooms, designed and equipped to meet the aspirations of business travelers.

Marriott International and Dur Hospitality today announced the opening of Riyadh Marriott Hotel Diplomatic Quarter and Marriott Executive Apartments Riyadh, Diplomatic Quarter. The complex is strategically located in the heart of one of the most sought-after areas in the city with easy access to key embassies and major corporate headquarters, just a 30-minute drive from King Khalid International Airport.

“We are delighted to enhance our footprint in Saudi Arabia with the opening of two strategically important hotels that not only complement each other but also deliver very distinct brand experiences. Saudi Arabia continues to be one of our key markets and we are delighted to further strengthen our partnership with Dur Hospitality,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.

The hotel is inspired by the scenic and fertile Wadi Hanifa, a beautiful desert oasis running through Riyadh. The low-rise hotel resembles the smooth, dry canyon walls that make for a dramatic arrival experience. Once you step inside, the waterways guide the way into the heart of the building, ushering guests through the arrival court into the palm dotted oasis in the heart of the hotel’s lush courtyard. Planted cacti, flowering vines, plentiful blooming desert flora and native date palm trees create a soothingly calming ambiance, providing shaded secluded areas from the scorching desert sun. Here, life happens against a scenic lush backdrop in one of the restaurants and cafes.

The complex is the first five-star full service hotel in the Diplomatic Quarter and features 80 spacious modern rooms, and 140 fully equipped apartments. The deluxe rooms feature modern décor and ample work space, allowing guests to stay connected with in-room technology including high speed WiFi and bedside USB outlets. Guests staying in one of the six Premium Suites or the Presidential Suite can enrich their experience in the M Club Lounge offering an international buffet, hors d’oeuvre and local specialties 24 hours a day.

Sparking brilliance through spaces that seamlessly blend work and play with state-of-the-art business facilities and innovative spaces such as The Greatroom, the hotel caters for the needs of both business and leisure travelers. Guests can enjoy an elevated experience through the Mobile Guest Services, delivered with the warm and professional service for which the brand is globally renowned.

Riyadh Marriott Hotel Diplomatic Quarter houses three dining venues, Gojia Kitchen – a sophisticated all day dining destination, a la carte restaurant Mesquite and Agave Café located in the lobby. The hotel offers multiple recreational areas surrounded by lush greenery. An open-air swimming pool serves as an ideal spot to unwind after a long day. Other facilities include 24-hour Fitness Centres for both men and women and a sublime Saray Spa featuring a Turkish Hammam and female and male treatment rooms.

Meeting the highest standards for energy and environmental (LEED) Gold Certification requirements, the hotel site creates a protected micro-climate and maximizes on environmental impacts.  By amplifying useful daylight via a complex reflection processes, the hotel can decrease its illumination needs during the day. Plentiful shaded areas and the building’s structure allow for natural ventilation, reducing the need for air conditioning and additional cooling.

The opening of Riyadh Marriott Hotel Diplomatic Quarter and Marriott Executive Apartments Riyadh, Diplomatic Quarter marks the fifth collaboration between Marriott International and Dur Hospitality following Riyadh Marriott Airport, Marriott Executive Apartments Riyadh Convention Center, Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter and Riyadh Marriott Hotel – the Marriott Hotels first property in the Middle East.

To find out more about the hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments please visit:

www.Marriott.Com/RUHDQ & www.Marriott.com/RUHED and stay connected on Facebook.

The Shawarmer restaurant chain is marking its 20^th anniversary by launching the “Shawarmer for Social Responsibility Save It!” campaign, the most ambitious and comprehensive social impact program in company history designed to help tackle the growing food waste issue in Saudi Arabia.

The new Save It! campaign from Shawarmer, one of the largest and fastest growing Saudi owned and operated restaurant chains, is a year-long initiative designed to draw attention to and provide actionable solutions to Saudi’s food waste issue. The program will engage youth, families, the restaurant industry and stakeholders across the entire “farm to table to landfill” ecosystem to take responsibility for helping tackle a serious issue that has far-reaching impact on Saudi society.

Saudi ranks number one in the world in total food wasted. Statistics released in a new survey by the Saudi Grain Organization estimates that 33% of all food in the country ends up in garbage bins. That’s more than 4 million tons annually with a value of SR 12 billion.

“People don’t realize the serious impact of our food waste issue. The economic value of what goes into Saudi trash bins every day is staggering,” said Mr. Abdullah Zeid Alshabanat, Head of the National Program for Food Lost and Waste. “But most importantly, our Islamic values urge against it.”

“As a homegrown Saudi restaurant group, we have both an opportunity and responsibility to help contribute to a real and lasting solution to our nation’s food waste issue,” said Abdulmohsin Al Rabiah, CEO of Innovative Foods, Shawarmer’s parent company.

“We are launching a series of internal programs and investing heavily in new technology to minimize wasted food across our supply chain and 92 locations. But we also know with our national reach and 20-year history, we have an opportunity to help educate and motivate our customers, employees and industry partners to do something truly unique and special to make a real impact on reducing food waste,” added Iyad Al Rasheed, Shawarmer Director of Operations.

The Save It! initiative will kick off with a competition among Saudi university students, with teams competing to take part in an intensive three-day marketing challenge. Aspiring participants can register their ideas for a Save It! campaign on the Shawarmer.com website.

Shawarmer will work with university partners and marketing industry experts to select the top 15 teams to join the three-day competition where they will work closely with a range of leading experts in advertising, marketing, social responsibility and environmental issues to develop a final campaign. At the end of the competition, the winning team will get the opportunity to show their creative thinking and marketing expertise to all of Saudi, with Shawarmer funding their effort to run a national food waste education and awareness campaign.

“What better way to kick off our Save It! program then to harness the power, energy and creative inspiration of our Saudi youth. What makes this program special is that not only will we invest in a national education campaign targeting a very real social issue, but we are also investing in the future of our young people,” said Faisal Al Rasheed, Director of Marketing for Shawarmer.

Shawarmer, known for its creative and unique marketing campaigns, is asking potential Save It! competitors to find a creative answer to a simple question: Are You Ok with This Issue?

“We know our customers and we know Saudi youth care about building our future society together. We know that when they see the real magnitude of our national food waste crisis and the impact it has on so many people, they will not be OK with it. They will want to get involved. They will want to work with us to help build a campaign that will inspire Saudi’s across the country to join the cause,” Al Rasheed added.

The Save It! university marketing competition will run through mid-April when winners will be awarded at a special industry forum hosted by Shawarmer with key stakeholders, influencers and decision makers uniting for a special Saudi food waste summit. Phase II of the Save It! campaign will be announced at the close of that summit.

Etihad Aviation Group’s Engineering and Aviation Training divisions have both signed contracts to collaborate with Sky Prime, the largest private aviation operator in the Middle East, based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The agreements were announced at the Saudi Airshow where Etihad is showcasing its Special Olympics liveried Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, alongside the Embraer Phenom 100E used in Etihad Aviation Training’s flight school. Etihad Airways Engineering is exhibiting its extensive Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities, including the new Airbus A350 maintenance services announced earlier this week.

Etihad Airways Engineering and Sky Prime

Etihad Airways Engineering has added another key customer to its VIP aircraft maintenance portfolio by joining hands with Sky Prime. The agreement allows the two companies to collaborate in multiple areas of operation, from heavy maintenance and cabin modification support  including Part 21J and Part 21G engineering services.

Under the scope of the new agreement, Etihad Airways Engineering has already delivered C-checks and cabin repairs to two VIP aircraft in the Sky Prime fleet, at its state-of-the-art MRO facility in Abu Dhabi. Additional projects are planned over the coming months which will see the engineering team deliver a wide range of engineering solutions to Sky Prime.

Abdul Khaliq Saeed, Etihad Airways Engineering Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our team enjoys a strong reputation in the international market for expertise and experience on major commercial aircraft platforms. While we have been supporting luxury aviation operators locally for many years, we are now expanding our services to the VIP aviation sector across the region and beyond. Our partnership with Sky Prime is a perfect example of this expanded scope.”

Captain Mokhtar, Sky Prime Aviation Services CEO, said: “We value this co-operation with Etihad Aviation Group which will play an active role in supporting and growing the Saudi aviation sector.”

Aircraft hangars at the Abu Dhabi facility cover approximately 66,000 sq metres, including 10,000 sq metres of aircraft painting facilities and a custom-designed hangar that can accommodate up to three Airbus A380 aircraft simultaneously. The company has successfully completed maintenance projects over the years for airlines across the world.

Etihad Aviation Training and Sky Prime

Etihad Aviation Training (EAT) will for the first time collaborate with a partner in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after a landmark signing ceremony with Sky Prime, further strengthen business ties between the two nations.

As part of the agreement, Sky Prime will dry and wet lease EAT’s Full Flight Simulators at Zayed Campus, Etihad’s training facility in Abu Dhabi. The training will be conducted by both Etihad and Sky Prime instructors.

Paolo La Cava, Director of EAT, said: “EAT is looking forward to welcoming Sky Prime instructors and pilots to conduct Airbus A320, A340 and Boeing 777 and 787 training at Zayed Campus. Last year was a strong year following EAT’s relaunch and we anticipate an even stronger 2019 with Sky Prime as our first Saudi Arabian partner.”

As part of the agreement, Crew Resource Management training, a tool for improving air safety, will also be conducted by EAT trainers for Sky Prime’s pilots and cabin crew. Sky Prime Cabin Crew will also receive recurrent training with EAT’s cabin safety trainers.

Captain Mokhtar, Sky Prime Aviation Services CEO, said: “In line with the Saudi 2030 vision, we are delighted Etihad Aviation Training are helping us fulfil our development strategy. To use their best-in-class training facilities and pilots to train our flying crew will enable us to gain the trust of our customers.”

EAT currently boasts 11 Full Flight Simulators (FFS) including three Airbus A320 FFS devices, two Airbus A330/A340s, one Airbus A380, two Boeing 777s and three Boeing 787-9 devices. The facility is expanding and will soon see the arrival of a brand new Airbus A350 FFS, as well as an Airbus A320 Fixed Based Device, both of which will be available in Abu Dhabi to third party customers.

There are 109 cadet pilots currently in EAT programmes, all of whom are UAE nationals. In addition to training pilots for Etihad Airways on our Multi- Crew Pilot License (MPL) program, EAT also trains pilots for third party customers, including L3 and Alpha Aviation.

Montblanc celebrated the official opening of its boutique in Riyadh Park this week, with an evening dedicated to the spirit of urban exploration, together with its longstanding partner Paris Gallery. The boutique adds a new dimension to Riyadh Park’s retail offering and continues to strengthen the Maison’s presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The inauguration of the new boutique by Yaqoub Alsharif Alhashemi, Group Executive Director of Paris Gallery and Franck Juhel, President of Montblanc Middle East, India and Africa, took place during an exclusive reception for VIP customers, media and friends of the Maison.

Montblanc’s new line of #My4810 trolleys, currently a sell-out success globally, were one of the key highlights of the evening, with internationally-recognised Saudi artist Mawadah Muhtasib adding personalised and contemporary street-style artwork to the collection. Bringing together Italian savoir-faire, German engineering and Japanese high-performance technology, #My4810 trolleys are the ultimate travel companion for today’s world travellers.

The new boutique showcases Montblanc’s Neo² retail concept designed by French designer and interiors architect Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, and articulates the Maison’s long-standing passion for craftsmanship. The concept, currently being rolled out globally, presents a pure and uncluttered aesthetic, mixing black, white and wood for a contemporary retail environment.

In addition to a wide selection of the Maison’s core writing instruments, the new boutique also has a variety of sought after collector pieces, including the Writer’s Edition Homage to Homer, paying tribute to the poet best known for the Iliad and the Odyssey, and the Meisterstuck Le Petit Prince Special Edition, celebrating Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s much loved literary classic.  

For watch enthusiasts, there is an extensive range of high complication timepieces in the latest 1858 and Star Legacy collections, and the Maison’s latest edition smartwatch, Summit 2. Montblanc’s ever growing range of leather goods offer the perfect gifts for today’s style-conscious professional or urban traveller, offering sleek modern design and refined functionality.

Commenting on the opening, Franck Juhel, President of Montblanc Middle East, India and Africa said: “We are delighted to open the Montblanc boutique in Riyadh Park with our new interior concept that communicates true luxury in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Saudi Arabia is of great importance to Montblanc and we are focused on extending our presence in the Kingdom so that we can meet the growing demand.”