attractions MODERN SAUDI
In step with the world
Saudi Arabia’s modern landscape is one of skyscrapers and huge retail establishments, offering vibrant leisure and lifestyle options
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The fruit of a vibrant economy, Saudi Arabia’s modern landscape is one of skyscrapers and huge retail establishments, which house a vibrant leisure and cultural scene. As the largest economy in the
Middle East and the country with the largest population, Saudi Arabia is a regional colossus that has been rapidly expanding and modernising its economy in recent decades. For visitors, this has translated into a country with up-to-date facilities and upscale attractions. Modern Saudi is, for instance, a
retail powerhouse, with a raft of high-class shopping malls helping to change both the skyline and the leisure choices of a brand- conscious population. In addition, hospitality and entertainment are high on the agenda. With Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre and Al Faisaliah Tower and projects such as the King Abdullah Financial District, Jeddah’s upcoming Kingdom Tower, the airport expansions in Riyadh and Jeddah, the Saudi Arabia of today provides a neat juxtaposition
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1 Te Kingdom Centre, Riyadh 2 Women at a mall, Jeddah
3 An exhibition at the National Museum, Riyadh
of ancient treasures and modern gems – providing a variety that makes it an ideal destination for the incentive travel sector.
RETAIL THERAPY Saudi Arabia is the largest retail market for consumer products in the Middle East. Shopping is a huge pastime and the main Saudi cities such as Riyadh are dotted with numerous mega- malls. Women’s fashion, in particular, is big business, with the high-end shops graced by the likes of Prada and Gucci. The most exuberant malls in
Saudi Arabia can be found within the Al Faisaliah Tower and the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh’s city centre. The Kingdom Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Saudi Arabia at a height of 302 metres, contains the Mamlaka Mall, a three-level shopping centre in the east wing, a Four Seasons hotel and state-of- the-art, high-end apartments. The key stores in the 41,000- square-metre complex are
Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and Saks Fifth Avenue. The Kingdom Tower also boasts a 56-metre-long Sky Bridge atop the skyscraper that contains a public observation deck with a view of the entire city of Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s first skyscraper
was the 267-metre-high Faisaliah Tower, which was opened in 2000. It was designed by Buro Happold and sports a huge, golden globe containing an observation deck. Beneath the tower lies the Faisaliah shopping centre, which sports a Harvey Nichols store among its 108 units. As the second largest city in
Saudi Arabia, Jeddah is another retail paradise. Tahlia Street is the hub of designer brands with the El Khayyat Shopping Centre stocking the likes of Armani, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and DKNY. The first shopping centre in the city, which remains the largest today, is the Heraa Mall. This one-stop wonder has over 240 international and local retailers.
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