Abu Dhabi wins World’s and Middle East’s Best Cruise Destination, highlighting dual-port strategy and nearly 700,000 cruise arrivals
Travel & Hospitality
Latest in Travel & Hospitality
Arabian Travel Market
Arabian Travel Market 2026 sees surging global demand as Middle East travel spend set to top $60bn
Arabian Travel Market 2026 is seeing rising exhibitor demand as Middle East travel spend is forecast to exceed $60bn by 2030
marriott
Five new Marriott hotels planned for Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah
Marriott and Al Qimmah sign five new Saudi hotel projects adding more than 2,700 rooms across Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah
Henley & Partners
UAE passport ranks 5th globally after record 57-place rise on Henley Index
UAE passport climbs to 5th globally in 2026 after a record 57-place rise, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 184 destinations
Cove Rotana Resort
Ras Al Khaimah’s Cove Rotana Resort acquired by SKH family office
Planned upgrades will focus on guest experience, facilities and sustainability initiatives
Aviation
Emirates to launch daily Dubai to Helsinki flights from October 2026 with A350 aircraft
Emirates will launch Dubai–Helsinki flights from October 2026, introducing the only year-round direct air link between Finland and UAE
Amaala
EXCLUSIVE: Inside AMAALA’s luxury strategy as Saudi’s Red Sea Global moves into delivery phase
Head of development at Red Sea Global, Stephen Cheeseborough, details the strategy behind the Kingdom’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project
Etihad
Etihad Airways launches flight sale with up to 26 per cent off Economy fares
Etihad Airways launches flight sale, offering up to 26 per cent off Economy fares for travel between January and September 2026
GCC travellers
EXCLUSIVE: Rosewood eyes Oman and Jordan as it steps up Middle East expansion – CEO
Rising demand from high-spending Gulf travellers is pushing Rosewood to explore new Middle East markets, including Oman and Jordan, CEO Sonia Cheng said, without providing further details on potential projects or timelines
Abu dhabi tourism
Abu Dhabi tourism growth accelerates as visitor numbers rise and revenues hit $1.59bn
Abu Dhabi strengthens its global tourism position as hotel guests reach 4.4m in 2025 and revenues climb to $1.59bn, data shows
Aviation
Emirates expands A350 and Boeing 777 rollout with new daily flights to Copenhagen, Phuket and Cape Town
Emirates expands its A350 and retrofitted Boeing 777 network with new daily flights, extra frequencies and Premium Economy across key routes
GaStat
Saudi Arabia hotel occupancy rises to 49.1 per cent in Q3 2025 as tourism facilities surge
Saudi Arabia hotel occupancy rose to 49.1 per cent in Q3 2025 as licensed tourism facilities jumped 40.6 per cent, according to GASTAT
Damascus
Syria signs deal for five-star hotel and largest mall development in Damascus
Syria Ministry of Tourism confirms contracts for five-star hotel and Mall Alarab project in Damascus, targeting private investment and tourism
FlyDubai
Iran flights from UAE and Qatar cancelled amid rising tensions
Flydubai and Qatar Airways flights from the UAE and Qatar to Iran have been cancelled amid rising tensions and widespread protests
Aviation
Etihad Airways launches first-ever Middle East flights to Luxembourg from Abu Dhabi
Etihad Airways will launch 3 weekly nonstop flights between Abu Dhabi and Luxembourg from October, 29 2026, using new A321LR aircraft
passports
Saudi Arabia issues travel warning on passport validity and activation rules
Saudi Arabia General Directorate of Passports warns travellers of passport validity rules, activation requirements and warns against misuse
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Emirates warns passengers as UK to enforce mandatory ETA travel rule from February 2026
Emirates warns passengers ahead of UK border rule changes requiring eligible visa-free travellers to hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation from February 25
