Lionel Messi leads Saudi tourism campaign to attract India, China, Europe

News Network

January 29, 2024

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's national tourism brand, 'Saudi, Welcome to Arabia,' has initiated a new global marketing campaign starring Lionel Messi, the international football icon and Saudi Tourism Ambassador.

The "Go Beyond What You Think" campaign, targeting key markets in Europe, India, and China, aims to challenge common misconceptions about Saudi Arabia and showcase its vibrant cultural transformation.

Audiences are invited to discover Saudi Arabia's diverse experiences and share their positive memories using the bilingual hashtags #ShareYourSaudi and #السعودية_بعيونك on TikTok and other social channels.

Spanning three months, the campaign includes TV, social media, digital, and OTA strategies.

It's part of Saudi Tourism's ongoing efforts to broaden perspectives and bridge cultures through tourism, in line with the UN Tourism's 'Tourism Opens Minds' Initiative.

Lionel Messi, a frequent visitor to Saudi Arabia, endorses the campaign. It features a hero video where Messi breaks down metaphorical 'walls' of misconceptions, highlighting Saudi's diverse landscapes and vibrant culture.

The campaign also celebrates the achievements of Saudi women in various fields and promotes Saudi's open culture.

The video showcases Saudi’s diverse locations, weather and terrain — from the pristine waters of the Red Sea to the lush green mountains in Aseer, snow covered Tabuk, the coastal city of Jeddah and Riyadh, the bustling capital.

In celebration of Saudi’s activities and attractions, the Messi campaign highlights the Diriyah E-Prix, Riyadh Season’s theme park rides, Al Ula’s hot air balloon flights and MDL Beast music events.

The campaign also places a spotlight on Saudi’s open and welcoming culture and the importance of inspiring young Saudi women to reach their full potential.

Messi celebrates the Saudi women who have been trailblazers in their fields and leading Saudi’s cultural transformation such as the Saudi Women’s National football team, motorsport athlete Dania Akeel, DJ Cosmicat, and Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Saudi woman in space.

Saudi Arabia is marking its sunny Winter Season with 17,000 events, including Riyadh Season, Jeddah Season, and Diriyah Season, alongside notable events like the Saudi Cup and the AlUla Arts Festival.

The campaign launch precedes Messi's return to Saudi Arabia for two matches with Inter Miami against Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Israel shifts forces deeper into Gaza, strikes hit families trapped inside

News Network

November 21,2025

Local authorities say the Israeli military has expanded the so-called “yellow line” truce demarcation in Gaza City and repositioned its forces deeper into the territory in violation of a ceasefire agreement that came into force on October 10, besieging dozens of Palestinian families.

Gaza’s Government Media Office announced in a statement on Thursday that Israeli forces widened the boundary by shifting the markers, and advanced roughly 300 meters (984 feet) into the neighborhoods of Ash-Shaaf, An-Nazzaz and Baghdad Street.

The move pushed further into civilian areas, trapping families who were unable to flee as tanks rolled forward, it added.

“The fate of many of these families remains unknown amidst the shelling that targeted the area,” the office said, adding that the expansion of the yellow line shows a “blatant disregard” for the ceasefire deal.

On Friday, sources said the Israeli military carried out continued air and artillery strikes inside the so-called “yellow line” east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the reports, Israeli warplanes and tanks targeted areas within the zone. One Palestinian was reported killed and several others wounded in the strikes, the sources said.

The fresh aggression came only a day after 25 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City and Khan Younis on Wednesday.

The media office reported that Israel has consistently violated the truce deal since its implementation last month, with near-daily attacks by air, artillery and direct shootings.

The office said over 400 violations have been documented. These breaches have resulted in the deaths of more than 300 Palestinians and left hundreds injured.

The Government Media Office in Gaza urged the guarantors of the ceasefire — the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey — to take swift action to halt the ongoing violations and facilitate the delivery of food, shelter materials, medical aid, and infrastructure equipment.

The so-called “yellow line,” set out in the agreement between Israel and Hamas resistance movement, refers to a non-physical partition where the Israeli military repositioned itself when the truce deal took effect.

It has allowed Israel, which routinely fires at Palestinians who approach the line, to retain control over more than half of the Gaza Strip.

International bodies, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, the International Association of Genocide Scholars, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, B’Tselem, and other rights groups, have concluded that the Israeli war on Gaza amounts to genocide.

In the attacks in Gaza since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 69,546 people and injured 170,833 others, leveling large swaths of the territory and displacing almost all of the population.

Comments