Page 43 - July 2022 ATM Special Issue 608

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Kiran Jay Haslam

(Chief Marketing Officer, Diriyah):

“We want to deliver authentic experiences,
reveal the warmth and generosity of Saudi
culture, and to change the way the World
perceives Saudi Arabia.”

iran Jay Haslam, Chief Marketing Officer at Diriyah (DGDA) plays a key role in
Kestablishing Diriyah within the Kingdom and re-establishing its position, globally, not
just as the birthplace of the Kingdom, but also as a centre for heritage and culture that will
shape the Kingdom’s exciting future. Throughout his career, Haslam has reinvented
powerful luxury brands; established and branded progressive media platforms in the
Middle East, and believes that the future is now. He actively looks at how science,
engineering and nature can radically re-orient the way in which we can sustainably
consume, preserve our planet and replenish our surroundings – and he approaches
marketing and branding from an anthropological viewpoint. Al Bayan Magazine met
Haslam and conducted the following interview in which he talked about the travel and
tourism sectors, post-pandemic, and talked about the synergies between Diriyah and other
giga-projects in Saudi Arabia.

• The travel and tourism sectors in the world are expecting a return because there is a misunderstanding of Saudi Arabia. We live in Saudi
to pre-pandemic levels and to witness significant growth. What is Arabia and we feel the generosity and the warm from the Saudis’ spirit
your comment? every day, we want the world to see that and this is probably what uni-
- If you look at ATM and everybody’s perception of the show last year fies us. We all complement each other.
to this year, it feels that everything is coming back very quickly.There
are new treands emerging, where travelers are focusing on booking • Can you give us an idea about the main features of Diriyah Gate?
travel in a more considered manner. They are planning ahead, so it is - The significance of Diriyah is anchored in our UNESCO site of At-
less about the last minute bookings. It also appears that travelers are Turaif - an unbelievable location that reflects a rich cultural legacy and
no longer concerned about going to every tourist attraction simply to powerful history. If you go back to 1727 when the First Saudi State was
tick boxes in a shallow way, instead, they want to see fewer things in a formed by Imam Muhammed bin Saud, we are talking about an ancient
more meaningful way. People want more authentic experiences and so city of intelligentsia and we see the legacy of that today. Therefore, the
for us in tourism, we have to deliver truly authentic experiences. historic city of Diriyah will showcase Saudi Arabia’s hundreds of years
of authentic culture and history by delivering one-of-a-kind inspiring
• What is the importance of your participation in the Arab Travel heritage experiences, educational and cultural opportunities, world-
Market? class residential living, and outstanding lifestyle offerings to include
- We haven’t opened Diriyah yet, we went from the inception phase into shopping, entertainment, and dining experiences. Combining tradition-
the implementation only this year due to the pandemic and lockdowns. al Najdi architectural typology and new urbanism, Diriyah will be a place
In 2022, we are going to open assets such as our UNESCO World that connects emotionally with visitors and residents, promotes, and
Heritage site At-Turaif, our dining district of Al Bujairi and we are celebrates the destination’s rich heritage and reveals the origins of
groundbreaking, and making some incredible announcements on modern Saudi Arabia and the spiritual values in which it is rooted. The
hotels and residences. For Diriyah, it is important to be here at ATM main objectives of Diriyah are to preserve and protect this history whilst
because we want to represent the project fully. We believe Diriyah is serving the local community through a multitude of initiatives designed
one of the most important projects in the world today, as we are build- to incubate an ecosystem of inspiration and empowerment, with
ing a city in line with The Kingdom’s Vision 2030. improved employment opportunities, high standards for quality of life for
residents as well as contributing to enhancing the awareness of the
• Is there any competition between Diriyah and other main projects Kingdom as a global cultural and heritage destination by activating
in Saudi Arabia and what makes Diriyah special and different from assets, hosting world-class entertainment events, being informative
other projects?
and gracious, and amplifying what it
- This is the fantastic approach that His truly means to be Saudi.
Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin
Salman has as well as some of the • What are your expectations for
most significant entities such as the 2022?
Ministry of Tourism and Saudi Tourism - I think 2022 will be a very exciting
Authority. We work very cooperatively year, the whole world seems to be
and every project has its own unique understanding the true value of even
identity and offering. When you go to the little things. The pandemic has
stay at the Red Sea or AlUla, you will opened our eyes, and we will see a real
get a uniquely different experience from return for travelers with confidence as
Diriyah. our aviation partners and hotel opera-
I don’t think there is competition; we all tors are all feeling like this is a chance
want to deliver on changing the percep- now to deliver on customers’ expecta-
tion of Saudi Arabia to the world tions in a much more meaningful way.

43 AL BA Y AN ECONOMIC MAG - ISSUE 608 - JULY 2022