Trippido has officially launched its online platform, offering a streamlined approach to travel bookings for travel professionals and individual travellers. The platform provides comprehensive services, including activity and event tickets, visa processing, accommodations, transportation, and vacation rentals—making trip planning more accessible and efficient.  Established in 2021 as an offline service provider in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah, Trippido has since expanded its operations globally. It now serves Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, and other destinations. “Trippido was born out of a need to simplify a fragmented industry,” said Tushar Kharbanda, Founder and CEO of Trippido. “As a traveler myself, I noticed how scattered travel services were—multiple platforms, inconsistent pricing, and complicated processes. We built Trippido to address these inefficiencies, offering a unified platform where travelers and agents can access everything seamlessly. Our goal is to simplify travel and give our partners better margins and control over their bookings.” For individual travelers, Trippido simplifies the process of booking experiences and essential travel services in one place. With its user-friendly interface, travelers can easily access a variety of curated experiences, from adventure activities to cultural tours, while enjoying transparent pricing and reliable customer support. As Trippido transitions online, it continues to uphold the same level of service that has earned the trust of its customers.

His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, highlighted the continued growth and robust performance of the UAE’s tourism sector. H.E. said: “Hotel revenues in the UAE reached approximately AED 45 billion in 2024, reflecting a 3% year-over-year growth. Hotel occupancy rates also climbed to 78% last year to rank among the highest both regionally and globally. This growth was supported by the opening of 16 new hotels across the seven emirates in 2024, taking the total number of hotels in the country to 1,251 by the end of the year. In addition, the number of hotel rooms also grew, reaching 216,966 by the end of 2024, up 3%. H.E. attributed this growth to the directives of the wise leadership and its forward-looking vision, which led to the development of sustainable policies, strategies, and initiatives that drive the sector’s progress. Tourism remains a key pillar in strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the national economy, supporting the country’s transition toward an economy driven by knowledge and innovation. H.E. Bin Touq added: “The UAE continues to advance its national efforts to develop innovative tourism initiatives and projects, while strengthening collaboration with all relevant local and international tourism bodies. These efforts aim to elevate the UAE’s status as the best tourism identity globally by the next decade, offering world-class experiences that further enhance the country’s appeal to visitors from around the world. We are also focused on diversifying special interest tourism offerings, building the sector’s capacities, fostering the participation of Emirati talent, and driving greater investment across all areas of the tourism ecosystem.” H.E. noted: “The number of hotel guests across the UAE …

Tourism from the GCC is expected to significantly boost the UK economy in the coming years. Forecasts estimate visitor spending from the GCC will reach £4.5 billion by 2030, while India is projected to contribute £1.4 billion over the same period. Gary Robson will now oversee VisitBritain’s operations in India and the Middle East, calling them “exciting markets with massive growth poten2030tial.”

Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the opening of Radisson Hotel Madinah, marking the debut of the Radisson brand in one of Saudi Arabia’s most revered destinations. Strategically located in the city of Madinah, this upscale hotel offers a modern, elegant sanctuary for business travelers, leisure guests, and visitors on their spiritual journey. With 165 well-appointed rooms, including, 53 business units, Radisson Hotel Madinah offers a sophisticated blend of Scandinavian-inspired hospitality and modern elegance. The hotel’s sleek design and calming color palette create a tranquil retreat, whether guests are unwinding after a busy day or preparing for their Umrah journey. Badr Abdulaziz, General Manager, Radisson Hotel Madinah said: “The hotel team and I are proud to welcome guests to the first Radisson-branded property in Madinah. We are fully committed to delivering world-class service to all our guests, whether they’re here for business, leisure, or as part of their Umrah trip.” Guest can enjoy a wide variety of premium amenities, including a contemporary lobby café, a full-serviced restaurant, and a revitalizing poolside juice bar. With thoughtfully designed spaces that invite guests to relax and unwind, every detail has been crafted to inspire and delight. Ideally located outside the Al Haram area, the new hotel enjoys proximity to significant landmarks, sitting just 3 km away from the Prophet’s Mosque and 750m from Quba Mosque, the oldest mosque in Islamic history. Moreover, it is conveniently located 16km away from Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport and 10km from Madinah train station, with convenient links to Jeddah and Makkah. This prime location makes it easily accessible and an ideal hub for both business and leisure travelers. Madinah, also known as Al Madinah Al …

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) announced its diverse calendar of events for April 2025, welcoming a dynamic mix of global exhibitions and conferences across sectors including energy, geospatial technology, real estate, art, education, healthcare, travel, air cargo logistics and more. These events underscore Dubai’s pivotal role as a global hub for knowledge exchange, innovation, and economic opportunity. With 16 events taking place across the month, highlights include flagship mega event, Arabian Travel Market (28 April – 1 May); health sector events, the pan Arab Interventional Radiology Society Annual Congress (9-12 April) and Dubai Derma (14-16 April); global aviation summit the IATA World Cargo Symposium (15-17 April); leading energy sector gatherings Middle East Energy (7-9 April) and GoTech Gas and Oil Technology Showcase & Conference (21-23 April); plus future focused forum ISPRS Geospatial Week (6-11 April). The full line up for April features: Middle East Energy: 7-9 April Returning for its 49th edition, Middle East Energy 2025 brings together energy professionals and decision-makers from over 170 countries. The event will spotlight five core sectors shaping energy transition – smart solutions, clean and renewable energy, backup generators and critical power, transmission and distribution, and energy consumption and management. With its strategic focus on sustainability and innovation, the show is expected to facilitate transformative partnerships for a low-carbon future. ISPRS Geospatial Week: 6-11 April Hosted at Sheikh Maktoum Hall, this academic and industry-driven event features 16 workshop themes covering cutting-edge topics such as Earth Observation, Geospatial AI, and disaster management. Organised by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), Geospatial Week fosters interdisciplinary collaboration between technology developers, data scientists, and application users. Dubai Entertainment, Amusement & Leisure Expo (DEAL): 8-10 April The …

Building upon its commitment to digital transformation and customer-first innovation, SalamAir announced the launch of its dedicated WhatsApp service. Passengers can now receive their tickets and boarding passes directly via WhatsApp, ensuring a smoother and more connected travel experience.​ This initiative follows a series of enhancements introduced in the last few months to provide travellers greater flexibility and personalization, which included the launch of the Express Bag and Priority services. These offerings reflect SalamAir’s dedication to reforming the airline experience by combining low fares with enhanced flexibility, allowing passengers to tailor their journeys to their needs.​ Steven Allen, Chief Commercial Officer of SalamAir, emphasized the airline’s vision:​”At SalamAir, we believe passengers should have the freedom to choose the services that matter to them. As part of our broader digital transformation strategy, we’re introducing smart, customer-focused tools, like our new WhatsApp service, to enhance flexibility and control. This is just the beginning; the WhatsApp platform will continue to evolve, offering even more features to make the travel experience seamless and personal.” ​The introduction of the WhatsApp service marks another milestone in SalamAir’s journey towards delivering seamless, tech-driven solutions that prioritize customer convenience and satisfaction.

Club Med will open its doors in Oman by 2028 on the Musandam Peninsula for the first time in its history. The resort will feature 300 premium rooms, alongside a variety of wellness retreats, adventure activities, and world-class dining experiences. As the first Club Med resort in the Middle East, Club Med Musandam embodies a vision of providing an unparalleled luxury hospitality experience rooted in sustainability. Its architectural design incorporates open spaces with breathtaking views, using locally sourced materials and cutting-edge eco-friendly technologies to minimise environmental impact—positioning it as a benchmark for sustainable resort development.

The Ministry of Tourism Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a new service that enables visitors to verify the license status of their chosen hotels and serviced apartments in Makkah and Madinah. The verification tool, now available on the ministry’s website www.mt.gov.sa, aims to ensure quality services and protect the rights of visitors. This step is part of the ministry’s ongoing campaign Our Guests Come First that seeks to enhance visitor experience and ensure that hospitality facilities comply with standards and licensing requirements. This service will empower visitors to make informed decisions when booking accommodation, ensuring a comfortable and safe stay. The ministry is also working to expand the service’s reach to a wider audience. The Ministry of Tourism continues to respond to inquiries and receive feedback regarding hospitality services. Visitors can contact the Unified Tourism Center at 930 or reach out through the ministry’s official social media channels.

Visit Qatar in collaboration with Qatari Diar hosted the Lusail Sky Festival, which lasted for 3 days coinciding with the Eid Al Fitr holiday, the largest event of its kind in Qatar welcomed more than 340,000visitors. The festival presented an exceptional visual show that brought together more than 3,000 drones and 16 aircraft in coordinated aerial shows that included world-class acrobatic aircraft shows, skydiving, sky-writing aircraft, coloured smoke displays, fast jet shows, laser-enhanced night shows, and fireworks displays. Lusail skies were lit up by professional show teams from Qatar, Northern Europe, the United Kingdom and Germany, with the participation of123 international air show professionals. The excitement spread to the ground, where visitors enjoyed live performances, family and musical activities, as well as a selection of food from chargers and food trucks. As an event open to the public, Lusail Sky Festival is the embodiment of a commitment Visit Qatar by providing world-class experiences that are accessible and suitable for all, emphasizing Qatar’s position as a vibrant destination that attracts visitors from the region and the world.

Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform, analysed seats availability data on flights scheduled in international, one-way, direct flights connecting to nine Middle East destinations (Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates – UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrein), that collectively account for 12% of the total global inbound air seats scheduled for the full year 2025. This study is part of a series of Middle East market insights Mabrian will release in the lead-up to Arabian Travel Market 2025, aiming at sparking discussions on key trends shaping the travel & tourism in the region. Ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2025, this edition addressing the connectivity role in tourism development, Mabrian analysed the international air connectivity evolution and forecasts for 9 top Middle East destinations, revealing their role and potential as global aviation hubs and travel destinations, as well as challenges for a sustainable growth for international air connectivity. Mabrian’s analysis of 2025 international air seat availability reveals key shifts in the Middle East’s aviation landscape, underscoring the need for strategic route development, airline partnerships, and network optimisation to strengthen the Middle East’s position as a global aviation hub. Key take outs of this study indicate that the United Arab Emirates and Türkiye maintain their positions as top global connectivity hubs; Saudi Arabia emerges as a fast-growing competitor; Qatar stabilises after sustained expansion; Egypt and Jordan are set to outpace global growth rates, and Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait face declining inbound connectivity. Saudi Air Connectivity Soars: A +38% Growth in Inbound Seats Since 2019. The United Arab Emirates (ranking in 7th position worldwide with 88.9 million seats available on international flights) and Türkiye (9th position, with 75.6 million seats) are among the top …