Another new mega hotel has been earmarked for Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion NEOM project, with IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, to open a Hotel Indigo property in the coastal industrial city of Oxagon.
The 250-key Hotel Indigo property will be situated in the first residential community of Oxagon, a futuristic industrial city which is planned to be the largest floating industrial complex in the world, and which will be the business and industrial arm of NEOM.
The Hotel Indigo property in Oxagon will be designed as a lifestyle destination offering retail and dining concepts including cafés, a pool lounge, and a specialty restaurant. Additionally, residents and visitors will have access to a range of leisure and wellness facilities including a spa and 24-hour fitness centre.
Haitham Mattar, managing director for India, Middle East & Africa at IHG, said in a statement: “We are delighted to announce our first IHG hotel in the exciting and rapidly developing region of NEOM.”
“Hotel Indigo is dedicated to embracing the unique essence of each local destination, ensuring that our hotels truly embody the spirit of their locations. We are excited to announce the upcoming opening of this new property in Oxagon, where an innovative blueprint for industry and remarkable livability is being crafted.”
“This extraordinary establishment is set to welcome guests in 2026. In addition, our lifestyle brand, Hotel Indigo, has seen great success in the Kingdom with several signing in the past months. As our presence in the market continues to grow, we are committed to supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 by offering exceptional hospitality experiences to leisure and business travellers visiting the country.”
Designed to seamlessly integrate work, live, and play, Oxagon’s neighborhoods will be fully walkable, with sustainable on-demand mass transit and micro mobility solutions.
Redefining the traditional industrial city, Oxagon will be home to a dedicated research and innovation campus and a next-generation sustainable port with a fully automated and integrated supply chain.
Vishal Wanchoo, CEO of Oxagon said: “Hotel Indigo’s vision to create a boutique neighborhood hotel reflecting Oxagon’s ethos of bringing people and technology together in harmony with nature, makes IHG the right partner for the first upscale property for our urban communities. As progress across our industrial and innovation ecosystems accelerate, these agreements ensure that exceptional hospitality experiences are available to tenants, residents, and visitors from the outset.”
The partnership represents the latest agreement between a hotel brand and NEOM’s Hotel Development division which is responsible for building a future-centric hospitality ecosystem in NEOM.
Chris Newman, executive director for hotel development at NEOM, said: “Hotel Indigo has earned global recognition for its unmatched ability to blend character and comfort, infusing the unique spirit of each neighborhood it operates in.”
“We are delighted at the opportunity to create exceptional guest experiences that reflect the captivating beauty of their environment. With this property, we aim to capture the true essence of Oxagon’s innovative approach to industry, its remarkable people, and the cutting-edge technology that defines it. We are confident that IHG is the perfect partner to embark on this endeavor with us, leveraging their expertise to bring our vision to fruition.”
IHG currently operates 37 hotels across five brands in Saudi Arabia, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, and Voco, with 31 hotels in the development pipeline set to open within the next three to five years. Last month IHG signed a management agreement to open a Hotel Indigo in Mohammed Bin Salman Non-profit City in 2025.
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies
H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.
During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.
He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.
The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.
At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books
As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”
Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.
Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.
Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.
Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.
Automation
The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.
Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.
US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79
US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.
In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.
He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.
President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.