Executive of the Year – Tourism went to Lars Clasen, CEO of Cruise Saudi, at the Middle East Management Excellence Awards ceremony in Dubai. The evening honored the region’s most remarkable business executives, with Cruise Saudi CEO taking up this prestigious title. Attendees included C-suite level, senior management, digital and technology business department heads, and marketing communications executive visitors.
The “Executive of the Year – Tourism” award honors an individual who has made a noteworthy contribution to the development and success of a business. Lars Clasen has overseen Cruise Saudi’s ambitious offshore and onshore cruise ecosystem-building process in conjunction with esteemed international partners, government and local entities, and a passionate team of visionaries with the goal of establishing Saudi as a top international cruise destination. Lars Clasen has led Cruise Saudi through its exponential initial growth phase.
By the end of its third season, Cruise Saudi had welcomed more than 300,000 visitors to Saudi Arabia’s shores from more than 100 different countries. Since its launch in 2021, the company has fully equipped three ports with the infrastructure needed to welcome international cruise ships: Jeddah Islamic Port, Yanbu Commercial Port, and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. By 2035, Cruise Saudi hopes to welcome 1.3 million cruise passengers to the country by sea. This ambitious goal is made possible by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the government’s own goal of receiving 100 million tourists annually.
Notably, Cruise Saudi has continued to implement training and development programs in conjunction with regional universities and foreign cruise lines, and additional plans are in the works to give Saudi youth the knowledge and experience they need to work in the cruise industry. Cruise Saudi is having an impact on the local economy in addition to the worldwide cruise market, with 50,000 direct and indirect employment expected to be produced by 2035, a current Saudization rate of 77%, and ambitions to hire additional Saudi residents in the coming years.
A future-focused approach is a key component of the plan for Cruise Saudi’s sustained expansion and success on the global cruising arena, especially with trailblazing innovation like the introduction of its owned-cruise line, AROYA Cruises, the first of its kind created with Arabian tastes.
Lars Clasen commented on the victory, saying, “Since joining Cruise Saudi in February of last year, I am extremely delighted to have witnessed the organization make enormous steps in establishing Saudi as a global cruise destination. This award was definitely a team effort, so I would want to receive it while also praising the cooperation and commitment of all Cruise Saudi employees. We are set to begin our fourth season, which will strengthen local communities, provide jobs, and expand Saudi Arabia’s great tourism industry by drawing in more foreign tourists.
As the innovative cruise line sets sail for season four, Cruise Saudi will keep collaborating with the government and local organizations to develop ports and curate top-notch destination experiences that boost both tourism and the local economy—many of which are welcoming visitors for the first time.
Source- Travel daily
Link- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/cruise-saudi-recognised-for-growth-of-the-cruise-sector-in-saudi/