Nasser Aqeel Abdullah Al-Tayyar is a prominent Saudi businessman and the owner of 60% of Al Tayyar Travel Group Holding.
Early Life
Nasser Al-Tayyar was born in Al Zulfi, northeast of Saudi Arabia, in 1957.
At the age of nine, he moved to Riyadh with his brothers Ahmed and Suleiman, seeking a better life.
A year later, in 1967, the rest of the family joined them in the capital, where they settled in a modest neighborhood.
His father worked for Aramco, and due to financial hardship, Nasser began working at the age of 15 at the First National City Bank (now Citibank).
He worked evening shifts as an accounts clerk from 1972 to 1975, earning a monthly salary of 900 Saudi Riyals.
Education
While working, Nasser pursued a degree in Administrative and Political Sciences at King Saud University, graduating in 1982.
After a long break from academia, he obtained a Ph.D. in Business Administration and Tourism Marketing in 2002 from Nilein University in Sudan.
Professional Life
Nasser Al-Tayyar is the Chairman of Nile Air, the second national carrier in Egypt.
In 2004, Arab Travel News magazine ranked him #1 as the most influential Saudi figure in private tourism investment,
and #13 among decision-makers and industry leaders in the Arab tourism and travel sector.
Achievements
Nasser began his career at Saudi Arabian Airlines in 1977, where he conducted passenger count surveys aboard flights.
In 1980, he transitioned to Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, serving as a sales representative for the Riyadh region until 1982.
That same year, he opened a small travel booking office on Takhassusi Street in central Riyadh, occupying no more than 200 square meters—a location he still owns today.
In 1983, he opened a second branch in the Al-Suwaidi district, aiming to secure a General Sales Agent (GSA) license from Saudi Arabian Airlines, which he successfully obtained in 1988.
Nasser also founded Nile Air to secure a private aviation license in Egypt. In November 2006,
Nile Air was granted the license to become Egypt’s second national carrier and its first private airline.
In 2007, Al Tayyar Group acquired 75% of Wire Connection (Sharjah), followed by the acquisition of Welantri Holidays (Malaysia).
He also acquired 40% of Grand Travel (USA), which was then the largest Saudi Arabian Airlines travel agent in North America.
In 2015, Nasser Al-Tayyar resigned from his position as Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Al Tayyar Travel Group.
That same year, he was honored by King Salman bin Abdulaziz for sponsoring the Al Tayyar Group Chair for Water Desalination Research at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University.
Personal Life
Nasser Al-Tayyar is married and has seven children.
Net Worth
His estimated net worth is approximately $600 million.
See More: Khaled Al-Saif: The Businessman Whose Name Became Linked to Jordan’s Royal Family
