Latest news with #tourism
Zawya
an hour ago
- Business
- Zawya
Number of visitors to Madinah jumps 18.7% in 3 years, reaching 18mln in 2024
MADINAH - The tourism sector in Madinah has witnessed significant growth of 18.7 percent in visitor numbers over the past three years, receiving more than 18 million visitors in 2024, compared with 14.1 million in 2023 and 8.2 million in 2022. According to a report issued on Wednesday by the Madinah Chamber of Commerce, activities related to accommodation, travel agencies, and tour operations recorded an 18.7 percent increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. The report highlighted the sector's vital role in supporting economic growth and increasing the gross domestic product (GDP) through tourism spending on lodging, transportation, shopping, and other services, while also creating job opportunities in tourism-related activities and contributing to sustainable economic diversification. The chamber report outlined the key assets of Madinah's tourism sector, noting that the city is home to around 400 religious, historical, and cultural landmarks that attract visitors from across the globe. These include the Prophet's Mosque, major historic mosques, various museums and exhibitions, modern tourist destinations, and restored historical sites open to the public, such as valleys, wells, and archaeological locations—forming a major driver for tourism development in the region. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Resurgent air travel and a strategic acquisition helped SATS climb over 100 places in the Southeast Asia 500
Airlines the world over are reporting a surge in business as tourists go traveling again. Carriers earned a total net profit of $32.4 billion last year, up 18% from the year before, while passenger numbers hit a new high of 4.8 billion. In Southeast Asia, airlines like VietJet, Thai Airways, and Garuda Indonesia posted double-digit revenue growth last year. But the most impressive performance came not from a carrier, but rather a company that keeps its feet on the ground. Singapore's SATS, which provides an array of services including food preparation, air cargo handling and passenger services, tripled its revenue in 2024, lifting the company to No. 93, a jump of 134 places, on this year's Southeast Asia 500. SATS's 2024 revenue now stands at $3.8 billion. SATS was the biggest climber on this year's list, not including newcomers. Much of SATS's revenue growth comes after its completed acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a global air cargo logistics provider. SATS bought the company for 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion at current exchange rates) in a deal announced in early 2023. SATS's acquisition of WFS now makes the Asia-centric company much more of an international player. WFS is the world's largest cargo handling firm, and is a major player in both Europe and the Americas. A combined SATS-WFS has a combined reach of more than 215 locations worldwide, covering trade routes responsible for more than half of global air cargo volume. SATS's history stems back to the early days of commercial aviation in Singapore, starting as the ground division for Malayan Airlines. That airline later split into Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysian Airline Systems. SIA then established its ground handling business as a separate business in 1972. Now, SATS is the main air cargo, ground handling and inflight-catering services provider for Singapore's largest civilian international airport, Changi Airport. SATS has since expanded its footprint throughout Asia, forming joint ventures in markets like mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Indonesia. In its most recent financial report for the quarter ending March 2025, SATS reported a 13% jump in revenue year-on-year to reach 5.8 billion Singapore dollars ($4.53 billion at current exchange rates), driven by a growth in business volume and revenue contributions from its expanded network. 'Our cargo volumes have consistently outperformed IATA's global growth benchmarks, demonstrating our ability to leverage our expanded network to secure new contracts,' SATS said in its annual report. The company aims to hit 8 billion Singapore dollars ($6.2 billion) in revenue by the end of its 2029 fiscal year, thanks to a larger network, growth in Asia-Pacific passenger volumes, and Singapore's role as an aviation hub. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Tour bus with 36 Indian tourists crashes into divider on PLUS highway near Muallim in Perak, all escape unhurt
IPOH, June 20 — Thirty-six Indian nationals and a local driver escaped unhurt after the tour bus they were travelling in skidded and crashed at KM 396.2 of the North-South Expressway (NSE) northbound near Muallim yesterday afternoon. Muallim police chief Supt Mohd Hasni Mohd Nasir said the incident occurred at 3.39 pm, and all victims, including the 41-year-old driver, escaped without any injuries. According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the bus was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh when it lost control and veered to the right side of the road. 'The bus then crashed into the central divider before ending up in a drain on the right side of the highway,' he said when contacted yesterday. He said the tour bus was carrying 32 men and four women, all Indian nationals, who were believed to be travelling from Hotel Regalia in Kuala Lumpur to Hotel Weil in Ipoh. 'All passengers were transferred to a replacement bus to continue their journey to their respective destinations,' he said. Meanwhile, through a post on X, PLUS Malaysia Berhad reported that the crash site was cleared by 6.50 pm, after which traffic returned to normal. — Bernama
CBS News
4 hours ago
- Health
- CBS News
Dallas-Fort Worth ranks 5th in worst bed bug-infested cities in the U.S., study says
DFW is the 5th most bed bug-infested area in the U.S. DFW is the 5th most bed bug-infested area in the U.S. DFW is the 5th most bed bug-infested area in the U.S. If you need some motivation to get your laundry done, Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the most bed bug-infested areas in the country, according to call data released this month from the pest control company Terminix. The annual study ranks DFW as the fifth worst city for bed bugs in the U.S., topped only by Los Angeles, Cleveland, New York and reigning champ Philadelphia. The rankings are determined by the number of bed bug control services. The study says it's likely due to our warm climate, plus a high rate of tourism and travel. Bed bugs thrive in warm, humid conditions and love to hitchhike. How to identify bed bugs Full-grown bed bugs are brown or reddish-brown with an oval-shaped body about the size of an apple seed, the EPA says, while their young are much smaller, translucent or whitish-yellow, and can be very hard to see. Bed bugs come out at night to feed on human blood. Bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, but their bites can cause allergic reactions. Bed bugs can be found in a variety of places, including homes, hotels, public transportation, and even some businesses. How to know if you've been bitten by a bed bug Bed bugs eat all three meals of the day at once, so look for the "breakfast, lunch and dinner" sign. The bites themselves often look like red bumps, but can also vary slightly from person to person. It may take several days for the marks to appear. Bed bugs are not attracted to dirt and grime and do not have a preference for specific blood types. Some people may have a strong reaction to bed bug bites, while others have little to no reaction, and it may appear that bed bugs are targeting specific individuals. According to the Mayo Clinic, bed bug bites don't usually need treatment and disappear on their own within a week or two. If needed, you can ease symptoms by using a skin cream containing hydrocortisone or an oral antihistamine. Travel tips When you arrive at a hotel or vacation rental, do a thorough search of the bed — underneath it, behind the bed frame, on the sides of the mattress and in between the mattress and frame. Bring a flashlight; check the seams of the bed sheets. If you see anything that looks like rust, call management. If you're able, turn over the mattress, no matter what size. Bed bugs like to congregate in dark places. You can also look for blood stains or small black dots that look like mold or ground pepper. Spraying with isopropyl alcohol can kill bed bugs, and it can kill their eggs — but it only kills on contact. The bugs must be sprayed directly, and it can be very difficult to find and expose them. Keeping your belongings off the ground in your accommodations is another way to prevent bedbugs from hitching a ride. Instead, opt to place items on the tops of dressers or other spots higher up. Believe it or not, the safest place in a hotel room to keep your luggage is in the bathtub. The critters are less likely to be found in the bathroom, where tile floors are less inviting. Examine your luggage when you repack and inspect it for any black or brown spots and launder all the clothing you brought with you with the hottest water when you get home. Preventing bed bug infestations If you've got some time on your hands and want to busy yourself with a home DIY project, you can buy some caulk and work to seal the cracks and crevices in your home, the EPA suggests. This will help prevent bed bugs and other pests from entering. Keep personal belongings as well as bags you've brought in from outside off the floor and away from your bed. Treating bed bug infestations Call an exterminator. Treatments cost anywhere from $1-$8 per square foot. Look for EPA-registered pesticides that have bed bugs listed on the label. Don't use pesticides and other powerful chemicals meant for outdoors, inside. Wash clothing and bedding at a high temperature. Seal mattresses and box springs in protective covers, the EPA says. With covers that seal, the bed bugs will get trapped inside and die. Steam cleaning and vacuuming can help, but may not be enough to rid your home of the critters. Keep inspecting for bed bugs at least every 7 days in case any eggs remain.
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong sports park scores in undisputed comeback for tourist numbers
The city's leaders have long proclaimed, 'Hong Kong is back!' It has taken a while for that to be fully reflected on the ground after the pandemic restrictions on top of the 2019 protests. Advertisement But the latest tourism figures leave no doubt, no matter whether they are down to the number of visitors, where they are from, or who the big spenders are. The 4 million-plus visitors in May, including mainlanders, surpassed the number for the same month last year by 20 per cent overall. The potential for more growth in thriving new markets has led to calls for relaxed entry rules for tourists from Vietnam and India in particular – a sensible move. Currently, Indians need to register before arrival for visa-free entry, while Vietnamese require a visa. Mainlanders, of course, dominated arrivals, accounting for more than 3 million in May – if not the biggest spending per head. Advertisement They were up 19 per cent according to preliminary figures, which reflected the five-day Labour Day break. Hence the emphasis on sating their appetite for unique experiences rather than shopping. The number of non-mainland tourists also leapt by 24 per cent from May last year to 955,345. Five new markets – Gulf Cooperation Council countries, India, Vietnam, Russia and the Netherlands – averaged 21 per cent year-on-year growth, to 74,746 arrivals.
