Edmund Bower

Beirut

Journalist at Freelance

Saudi Arabia Editor at AGBI

Articles

Arms, investment and AI among deals as Trump's Gulf tour begins

1 day ago | agbi.com | Valentina Pasquali |Edmund Bower

Trade US President begins tour of Gulf$142bn arms deal agreed with SaudiRiyadh to invest $600bn in USTens of billions of dollars in new partnerships between the US and Saudi Arabia were announced on Tuesday in Riyadh during the first day of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf.
Red Sea Global’s airport ‘racing towards completion’

2 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Tourism Main terminal to open by summerDAA International to manage airportDemand for flights builds, says RSGRed Sea International Airport will be “fully operational” within “a couple of months”, according to an executive at Red Sea Global. The airport “is racing towards completion”, said Ben Edwards, group head of cost, commercial and procurement at the Saudi resort developer.
Best Western Hotels to increase Saudi footprint

2 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Tourism Ambitious growth plannedSaudi tourism market is targetFocus on mid-market demand Best Western Hotels and Resorts plans to increase more than six-fold the number of hotels it operates in Saudi Arabia to tap a growing market in domestic and international business and leisure travel, the Arizona-based company said.
Aramco profits down but the worst is yet to come

3 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Oil & Gas Saudi Aramco/Media Gallery 4.6% decline in net-incomeVision 2030 funding pressureCapex plans face uncertaintySaudi Aramco announced a drop in net-income for the first three months of the year on Sunday, amid rising oil prices and higher operating costs.
Profits jump for PIF’s Elm digital services company

5 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Tech Elm Company profits surge 40%Net profit of $132 millionPlans for an acquisition spreeElm Company, a digital services company controlled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, said first-quarter profit surged more than 40 percent on higher sales.
Biggest Saudi tourism opportunities could lie in smaller cities

5 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Tourism Tier 2 cities ‘stand out’, says JLLAverage annual Saudi revpar up 9%International tourism up 14% a yearGrowth in the hospitality sector of the Middle East and North Africa has outpaced that of other regions, driven by expansion in Saudi Arabia’s tourism market.
Acwa Power reports record revenue and profit surge

5 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Renewable Energy Saudi Arabian energy company Acwa Power posted record revenue in the first quarter from higher returns on operations and development services as well as electricity and water sales. Revenue jumped almost 60 percent to SAR1.97 billion, the publicly listed company said in a statement to the Saudi stock exchange.
Saudi Arabia wants the world to visit Aseer, the ‘Arabian Highlands’

6 days ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Analysis Tourism Sergey Strelkov/Alamy via Reuters Connect Province marketed as affordable Climate and nature are major draws$7bn investment in the pipelineThe streets of Abha become festooned with lilacs and mauves throughout May, when the city’s 25,000 jacaranda trees come into bloom.
Saudi Arabia to ‘roll with the punches’ on oil price

1 week ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Analysis Economy Analysts predict spending slowdownQ1 budget deficit rises to $16bnExpo and World Cup are prioritiesSaudi Arabia may have to tighten its reins on spending on the back of a decline in international oil prices, analysts have said.
Digital health innovators expand in Saudi Arabia

1 week ago | agbi.com | Edmund Bower

Analysis Health VGstockstudio/Shutterstock Attractive market for providersHealthcare spend rising quickly ‘Proactive attitude to digital health’A fast-growing population with high rates of lifestyle diseases is making Saudi Arabia an attractive market for healthcare providers.