Makkah Economic Forum Kicks Off Year

The Makkah Economic Forum has lined up a series of highly engaging activities spread across the entire year to involve the private sector as an active partner in the region’s development programs and help realize the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

The comprehensive activities, which begin , will help identify the current challenges and opportunities in the market, and build on the momentum created by the recent two-day MEF 2018 event in Jeddah to encourage local and international business investments in the region’s development projects.

The engagements will primarily be focused on four of the 12 Vision realization programs – National Industrial Development and Logistics, Enriching the Haj and Umrah Experience, Public Investment Fund and Tourism, and Improving the Quality of Life.

“The year-long activities organized as part of the Makkah Economic Forum will create dialogues to encourage and facilitate effective collaboration to make the private sector an active partner in activating the vision realization programs.

This an excellent opportunity to work together to prepare a better tomorrow by harnessing the power of collaboration and activating true participation between the public and private sectors,” said Dr. Lama Al Sulaiman, Vice Chairwoman and Board Member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce.

The activities in the pipeline include engaging and inclusive workshops, sector specific seminars, webinars, debates, interactive panel discussions and talk shows at various venues across Jeddah. They will help put the spotlight on topics such as the importance of supporting the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within industrial development, and defining the role of SMEs in enriching the Haj and Umrah experience.

Events organized as part of the year-long activities will cover some very interesting topics such as the importance of developing marketing skills to standout within marketing noise and clutter, and surviving change in a rapidly evolving environment.

Participants in the program will also discuss topics of current relevance to the Kingdom’s progress, including Saudization in the area of industrial development and logistics, and highlight the integral role of women in building the tourism sector in the Makkah Province.

Discussions will explore ideas such as serving people with disabilities in the tourism sector as a business opportunity, and look into the aspect of cultural Impact in achieving the quality of life transformation.

The activities will also draw attention to the role of digitalization and social in promoting business, and highlight opportunities for innovation in the ‘sportstainment’ economy.

The Makkah Economic Forum aims to unify the efforts of the public and private sectors under one umbrella to attract the largest number of investors and businesspersons at all levels

It seeks to create a conducive investment environment for the success of initiatives which will be implemented in partnership between the private and public sectors, while ensuring the removal of obstacles in the way of progress.