Aviation360 MEA

With a mystery trip from Venice, Italy to an unidentified location, Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest-growing and most environmentally friendly airline, set out on its most thrilling adventure yet. The daring group of ‘#GetLostwithWizz’ competition winners, influencers, and travel bloggers boarded the once-in-a-lifetime mystery trip to discover and experience Saudi Arabia, which has become one of the most interesting, year-round travel destinations in the world today.

When the adventurers arrived in Riyadh, Al Ahsa, and Dammam after departing from Venice Airport Marco Polo, they seized the opportunity and welcomed the unexpected, learning about the intriguing, centuries-old history of the cities as well as a variety of must-see sites and delectable regional cuisine.

The lucky contest winners had the chance to explore historical and ancient monuments, towering palm trees, and unspoiled natural beauty. They also had the chance to satisfy their urge for adventure with thrilling activities like dune-bashing in the breathtaking desert or touring the Boulevard Riyadh City. Highlights include excursions to Riyadh’s ancient Al Masmak Fort, the largest palm oasis in the world at Al Ahsa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Dhahran’s Ithra, a cultural and scientific treasure.

Robert Carey, President of Wizz Air, said: “Wizz Air is committed to providing exciting, adventurous and unique travel opportunities and the ‘#GetLostwithWizz’ competition demonstrated the truly spontaneous Wizz way of travel. I thank our Saudi partners for their hard-work and support in creating an experience full of rich culture, showcasing the very best of the natural and diverse beauty within the Kingdom. We embarked on an exciting journey discovering the ancient history, striking landscapes, and warm hospitality of Saudi Arabia, refuting misconceptions about one of the emerging must-see destinations in the world today. Our ever-expanding network currently offers 24 routes to and from Saudi Arabia. We encourage travellers to take advantage of our ultra-low-fares to experience this eclectic mix of breath-taking travel experiences.

Hazim Al-Hazmi, President Americas and Europe at Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “Our partnership with Wizz Air is really helping us to welcome more travellers from European countries to Saudi. We were happy to host 150 adventurous individuals to an authentic and undiscovered destination and to show them the diversity of our country from the ancient to the ultra-modern. There is a keen interest in Europe to discover Saudi and it is fast becoming a sought-after destination. We look forward to encouraging more visitors to get lost with us and Wizz Air and experience the authentic home of Arabia.”

A ‘#GetLostwithWizz’ competition winner said: “This is my first time in Saudi Arabia and I didn’t expect it to be so beautiful. The people are so open-minded and welcoming, the weather is great and I am impressed by the warm hospitality. Everything has been a surprise for us on the Get Lost trip and the itinerary was very well organised. I recommend Saudi Arabia to anyone who wants to explore a beautiful country.”

The Get Lost trip further underpins Wizz Air’s commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia’s growing tourism sector by bringing over one million passengers to the Kingdom, with 24 new routes announced in recent months. Wizz Air’s growing presence brings a new era of affordable, hassle-free and direct travel opportunities to the Kingdom from Europe and the Middle East, aligning with the Vision 2030 programme, a strategic and ambitious goal to triple passenger traffic in Saudi Arabia by 2030.