Day: November 3, 2024

Jazan: The Border Guard search and rescue teams in the Jazan region have rescued a citizen and his two daughters from drowning while they were swimming in non-designated areas, providing them with assistance. According to Saudi Press Agency, the General Directorate of Border Guard has urged recreational visitors to exercise caution and adhere to maritime safety guidelines by swimming only in designated areas. The directorate also advised people to contact (911) in the Makkah and Eastern regions and (994) in other areas of the Kingdom for emergency assistance.

London: The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), represented by its Beneficiary Care Center, has received two prestigious international awards at the annual Contact Center World conference in London, UK. GACA took home the "Gold" award for Best Customer Service and the "Silver" for Best Government Contact Center, competing alongside numerous government agencies and companies from around the globe. According to Saudi Press Agency, Director of the Communication Channels Department at GACA, Meshail Al-Mofawez, highlighted that these achievements underscore GACA's commitment to delivering high-quality services and enhancing beneficiary experiences. The awards reflect the authority's dedication to continuously improving service standards and achieving the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Al-Mofawez noted that GACA's success in earning these awards is due to its commitment to international best practices and quality standards, ensuring that services are provided to beneficiaries with efficiency and excellence.

Riyadh: Speaker of the Shura Council Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh received US Ambassador to the Kingdom Michael Ratney today. During the meeting, they reviewed ties between the two countries and discussed ways to boost them, along with other topics of mutual concern. According to Saudi Press Agency, the meeting underscored the importance of continued cooperation and dialogue between the two nations. Both parties expressed a commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and exploring avenues for enhanced collaboration on issues of common interest.

Riyadh: The Ministry of Tourism announced that the number of tourism hospitality facilities licensed to operate across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has increased to more than 3,950 by the end of the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, recording a growth rate of 99% compared to the same period in 2023. According to Saudi Press Agency, the number of licensed rooms reached over 443,000 by the end of Q3 of 2024. This represents a growth rate of 107% compared to the same period of Q3 2023, where the number of rooms was more than 214,000. The number of licensed hospitality facilities in Q3 2023 was about 2,000. The significant growth in the number of tourism hospitality licenses is the result of the great efforts exerted by the Ministry of Tourism to empower operators and investors in the hospitality sector to obtain licenses. This includes providing facilities with operating fees reduced by up to 22%. In addition, the ministry has contributed to the issuance of a decision exempting hospitality facilities from municipal f ees as part of the ministry's keenness to ensure the upgrading of services provided by hospitality facilities to international and domestic tourists. During its "Our Guests Are Our Priority" campaign, the Ministry of Tourism invited all beneficiaries of hospitality facility services to submit their inquiries and comments about the services provided to them by contacting the unified tourism centre at 930.