The 2026 Future Aviation Forum will return to Riyadh from 20-22 April, bringing together more than 11,000 global aviation experts and leaders, including ministers, regulators, manufacturers, airlines, and airports. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) launched the Forum whilst announcing a third consecutive year of record-breaking aviation growth for Saudi Arabia. In 2025, Saudia Arabia carried 140.9 million passengers, up 9.6%, and operated 980,000 flights, an 8.3% percent increase compared with 2024.

AlUla today announced the adoption of EarthRanger, a global-standard conservation technology, as part of its commitment to preserving the destination’s extraordinary natural heritage. The first in the Middle East to implement this innovative solution, AlUla is strengthening its wildlife monitoring capabilities to support long-term ecological restoration efforts, ensuring its unique landscapes and species thrive for generations to come.

For one month each year, Saudi changes its rhythm entirely. Days grow quieter and slower, and then, as the sun sets, Saudi comes alive. Streets fill, tables stretch long, music and storytelling echo through historic districts, and cities transform into social spaces shaped by food, family, and shared moments. For visitors, Ramadan offers one of the most immersive ways to experience Saudi, not through landmarks alone, but through how life is lived when the sun sets.

This week marks the official opening of Desert X AlUla 2026, the landmark fourth edition of the international, open-air biennial exhibition. Arts AlUla, in collaboration with Desert X, welcomes visitors to experience a stellar line-up of Saudi and international multi-generational artists whose site-responsive earthworks, sculptures, and installations will engage in a powerful dialogue with the awe-inspiring landscapes and layered heritage of AlUla.

The Royal Commission for AlUla and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii continue to advance their joint work on the preservation of AlUla Old Town, under the cooperation agreement signed in January 2025. The partnership aims to deepen research and protection efforts at this historic site and guide its development through a comprehensive heritage-led approach. The collaboration brings together two of the world’s leading open-air heritage destinations, linking active archaeological work with visitor-facing cultural development.

IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with an investment fund managed by SEDCO Capital, a global multi-asset management and advisory firm, to launch Hotel Indigo Grand Square Jeddah. The 150-key lifestyle hotel marks the first collaboration between the global hospitality group and the Saudi real estate investment fund. Hotel Indigo Grand Square Jeddah will form a central component of the Grand Square mixed-use development on King Abdulaziz Road in Jeddah. The project is being developed through a strategic partnership via the fund, which brings together Ajdan Real Estate Development Company, MASIC Investment Company, and SEDCO Capital. It aims to introduce a new model of contemporary living in Jeddah by integrating hospitality, retail, and office spaces within one destination.