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MEETINGS Venues
WITH A THRIVING ECONOMY SAUDI ARABIA IS ACTIVELY EMBRACING THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY AND OVER TIME ITS VENUE OFFERINGS ARE SET TO GROW SUBSTANTIALLY
The Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC) bases its operations out of the Riyadh Inter- national Exhibition Centre. REC organises a mix of annual and biennial events, the majority of which are international. The company arranges events for customers from Europe, US, Brazil, and China, as well as other global markets.
Alagat is another exhibition organiser based in Riyadh. The company organises events for a broad range of industries, including tourism and gold and silver. Also in Riyadh is the King Abdulaziz His- torical Centre, which is a modern, well fitted out building with a fixed-seat auditorium. This US$250 million museum complex was built over the old King Abdulaziz quarter, or old town, and it opened its doors in 2003. The centre was built around the historic Fort Masmak, which is where Riyadh is said to have been recaptured in 1902 by Abdu- laziz Al Saud, the first monarch of Saudi Arabia. Using photographs, artefacts, video material and theatres in an interactive and vibrant display, the museum traces Saudi Arabia's history and celebrates the life of King Abdul Aziz. The complex includes the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, the Da-
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rat Al Malik Museum, a library, auditorium, mosque and King Abdulaziz's Murabba Palace and Gardens.
Along with the cultural facilities there is the King Abdulaziz conference room, which is used for international conferences and exhibitions. There are plans in place to ex- pand the centre further, between the south faade and the Ruler's Palace. Also in Riyadh is the King Faisal Hall for Conferences, which is well equipped with interpreting equipment, audio visual equip- ment and display screens.
The King Faisal Hall for Conferences comprises a main hall for 885 individuals and a round hall for 189 individuals in addi- tion to five seminar and workshop rooms. There are also internet facilities, a large lobby and a well-equipped press centre. In terms of hotels, the Al Faisaliah Banquet & Conference Centre at the Al Faisaliah Hotel is a combination of the high- est in technology, spectacular design and unprecedented sophistication. It boasts ap- proximately 6,300 square metres of meeting space and is ideal for large-scale exhibi- tions, international conferences, elaborate weddings and executive meetings.
The state-of-the-art facilities offer superior A/V tools including high-speed internet access and satellite conferencing. There are several meeting rooms for small delegations and the ballroom is suitable for large conventions. The ballroom and foyers span a combined area of almost 5,500 square metres. Up to 750 diners at round tables can be accommodated in the ball room, which also doubles up as grand reception area to the banquet hall and overflow space. For more intimate dinners, the ballroom can be divided into two sections. The Prince Sultan's Grand Hall is the largest column-free public space in the Kingdom and offers uninterrupted views from anywhere in the auditorium. The 4,640 square metre hall has a capacity for 4,000 delegates in confer- ence-style seating and banquets for 3,300 diners seated at round tables. It can be divided into 16 separate dining or meeting rooms that carry the latest sound, projection and com- munication systems, enabling international satellite link-up for conference proceedings. Al Faisaliah Banquet & Conference Centre hosted the inaugural Saudi Travel and Tour- ism Investment Market (STTIM) in March 2008. Riyadh will once again host STTIM this year, taking place from March 27-31. The Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh also boasts outstanding meeting and conference facilities for up to 4,500 guests. The hotel's 4,765 square-me- tre function area includes the opulent Kingdom Ballroom, a spacious venue with 10.5 metre high walls and its own private entrance, which can be divided into four separate salons.
Private events, all-day executive meetings and dinners for up to 10 people can be held in the hotel's three boardrooms. There is also a Conference Garden for al fresco recep- tions that cater for a maximum 150 people. Each indoor meeting space carries the latest audiovisual equipment, including LCD projec- tors, plasma TVs, broadband and wireless internet and teleconference facilities. With a thriving economy Saudi Arabia is actively embracing the meetings industry and over time its venue offerings are set to grow substantially. Today there are three main centres for the large meetings groups but their strategic locations ensure that all significant areas of Saudi Arabia's economy and development can be addressed. l
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