According to Arabian Business, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior has recently decided to ban the use of "Western calendar" in all official dealings in favor of the Hijri calendar traditionally used in the Arab world.
Hijri has always been the offical calendar for any governmental dealings (e.g. visas) but now they try enforce private companies to follow the same. It will be interesting to see how this works out e.g. for Saudi Airlines and flight bookings.
The more interesting part of the same news is the demand for any front of house staff (e.g. company switchboard operators, hotel reception staff etc.) to stop answering the phone in English.
As I am getting a significant number of business calls to my mobile each day, I guess it is finally time for me to start learning Arabic... Or then, the more likely outcome is that these decisions are forgotten as suddenly as they were announced and the life in the Magic Kingdom just goes on.
Hijri has always been the offical calendar for any governmental dealings (e.g. visas) but now they try enforce private companies to follow the same. It will be interesting to see how this works out e.g. for Saudi Airlines and flight bookings.
The more interesting part of the same news is the demand for any front of house staff (e.g. company switchboard operators, hotel reception staff etc.) to stop answering the phone in English.
As I am getting a significant number of business calls to my mobile each day, I guess it is finally time for me to start learning Arabic... Or then, the more likely outcome is that these decisions are forgotten as suddenly as they were announced and the life in the Magic Kingdom just goes on.
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