As the world begins to move away from its reliance on fossil fuels, Saudi Arabia is attempting to rapidly and wisely diversify itself away from its traditional oil-based economy to one in which a newly established tourism industry can be a significant driver of investment, employment, and economic sustainability. Largely centred around the kingdom’s 1,760 […]
Qatar gets creative to prove critics wrong about its ability to host the World Cup
On December 02, 2010, FIFA announced that Qatar had been awarded the opportunity to host the 2022 World Cup, beating out the United States in the fourth and final round of voting by the organization’s 22-member executive committee. As the first World Cup event ever to be held in the Middle East, eyebrows began to […]
Diriyah: The Past and Future of Saudi Arabia
Anyone with even a basic knowledge of Middle Eastern history, geography, and culture knows of Saudi Arabia’s powerhouse capital city, Riyadh; its namesake royal family, the Al Sauds; and its predominant sect of Islam, Wahabism. However, not nearly as many have heard of the place that connects all three of these in a very historically […]
Neom: The Future of Mega Resorts or a Desert Mirage?
Flying cars. Robotic dinosaurs. Holographic educators. An artificial moon. These are just a few of the things that are being touted as elements of Neom, Saudi Arabia’s planned futuristic mega resort on the Red Sea. But is all of this Neom talk just well-financed hype designed to draw headlines, peak investors’ curiosity, and induce FOMO? […]
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Bottom Line Up Front: Unconfirmed reports suggest that a grand opening ceremony could take place some time in or around October, 2020. Some of the GEM’s rooms, halls, and facilities may remain unfinished until 2021, while the main parts of the museum are opened up following the official ceremony in what may be termed another […]