Cruise Saudi, the 100 percent Public Investment Fund-owned business, showcased its pioneering journey and shared its ambitious plans for the future with leading travel and tourism sector representatives and international media, at the World Travel Market (WTM) 2023 (November 6-8), one of the world’s most influential travel and tourism events.
Operating under the umbrella of the Saudi Tourism Authority’s Visit Saudi stand, Cruise Saudi’s delegation included its CEO Lars Clasen, Chief Asset Management & Operations Officer Barbara Buczek, and Executive Director for Destinations Development & Management Mashhoor Baeshen.
Operating under this year’s theme, ‘You have the power to change travel’ and ‘Travel has the power to change the world’, WTM 2023 was attended by thousands of travel industry professionals representing more than 180 countries.
Buczek joined a panel on WTM’s Innovation Stage and discussed ‘The Power of Collaboration for Women’, under the wider topic of ‘Empowering Women to Change Travel’.
Speaking with first-hand experiences and insight, the all-female panel studied some of the unique challenges faced by women in the workplace and dived into practical solutions to overcome gender disparity across the industry.
Buczek said: “It is so important to keep conversations surrounding gender and diversity in the workplace going to maintain the progress that we’ve seen over the past decade. At Cruise Saudi I am proud of the significant strides we have made to create a more diverse workforce, and delighted to say there is a strong community of women in the business, and beyond, with whom I am grateful to collaborate with.” Cruise Saudi’s CEO Clasen said of this year’s World Travel Market: “It has been a very successful few days filled with insightful discussions and collaborative partnerships. We were proud to showcase Cruise Saudi’s successes and have the opportunity to meet with key opinion leaders to discuss our ambitions for the future at this global-facing industry event.”
Cruise Saudi announced the launch of its owned cruise-line, AROYA Cruises, in Summer 2023, the first of its kind with a commitment to showcase Arabian experiences. The visionary product, the likes of which have never been seen before in the local or regional marketplace, is a significant step in providing new holiday options for Saudi-nationals and their neighbors; a unique opportunity for them to explore their homeland like never before. For this owned cruise line, Cruise Saudi has partnered with cutting-edge tech organizations and world-leaders in cruise ship design to provide the highest standard of service and comfort. These collaborations combine this remarkably Arabian experience with integrated technology, excellent facilities and quality modern interiors, all designed with guest enjoyment at its heart.
With the ambitious goal to welcome 1.3 million cruise passengers to Saudi by 2035, Cruise Saudi continues to develop new cruise ports and terminals, expand on the existing compelling Shorex offering, and empower local Saudi communities to drive economic growth and human capital development, supporting the country’s wider Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to welcome 150 million visitors to Saudi annually by 2030.
