Saudi Arabia opens first-ever alcohol store, accessible to a select group

Spirits on display in a UK bar in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Matthew Horwood | Getty Images News | Getty Images Saudi Arabia has opened its first alcohol store in the diplomatic quarter of its capital Riyadh, two sources told CNBC. The news, which has not been officially confirmed by the Saudi government, marks a major … Read more

Saudi’s soccer dream suffers a setback with star departure

Jordan Henderson acknowledges the crowd after the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Ettifaq and Damak at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium on Sept. 2, 2023 in Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Francois Nel | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images England international Jordan Henderson abruptly ended his playing time in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, dealing a … Read more

The Israel-Hamas war is affecting traveler confidence and bookings

The Israel-Hamas war is affecting travel across the Middle East and beyond. International arrivals to the region grew in the fourth quarter of 2023 — mainly owing to an increase in visitors to Saudi Arabia — to a level that matched 2019 numbers, according to the travel data company ForwardKeys. But it’s a far cry … Read more

Saudi Arabia nearly doubles estimate for the value of its mineral resources

Saudi Arabia nearly doubled the estimate for the value of its mineral resources and is seeing lucrative deals signed during its Future Minerals Forum held in Riyadh this week, ministers told CNBC. Estimates for the kingdom’s untapped mineral reserves have jumped from $1.3 trillion in a 2016 forecast to $2.5 trillion, according to Saudi Mineral Resources … Read more

Blinken to meet with leaders of Saudi Arabia, UAE

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he boards an aircraft during his departure from Washington to travel to the Middle East, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., January 4, 2024.  Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to meet … Read more

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund overtakes Singapore’s GIC

Skyline of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) was the top spender among global sovereign wealth funds last year, accounting for about a quarter of the $124 billion splashed by state-owned investors, according to a preliminary report by research consultancy Global SWF. The Saudi … Read more

Fenway moves forward in final talks to invest in PGA Tour’s Saudi deal

Tiger Woods wipes his driver grip on the 18th tee box during the first round of the PGA TOUR Champions PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 17, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Ben Jared | PGA Tour | Getty Images A coalition of U.S. sports investors led by Fenway Sports Group have entered … Read more

Oil prices set to rise in 2024 after OPEC+ voluntary cuts

Processing towers stand at the RN-Tuapsinsky refinery, operated by Rosneft Oil Co., in Tuapse, Russia, on Monday, March 23, 2020. Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg | Getty Images Oil prices are expected to rise in the new year after some OPEC+ oil producers voluntarily pledged to cut output. The oil cartel on Thursday released a statement that did … Read more

Riyadh to extend 1 million-barrel-per-day cut as OPEC+ holds policy

The logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna, Austria, on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The influential Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries coalition and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, on Thursday opted against formally deepening production cuts, while de facto leader Saudi Arabia … Read more

Pack your jerseys. The era of ‘sports tourism’ is here

Start your engines. From Formula One races to the Summer Olympic Games, traveling to attend major sporting events is on the rise. Sports tourism, as it’s called, is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the travel industry, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.   The market is massive, and only stands to grow, … Read more