The third edition of the Abu Dhabi Wedding Show took place bringing together leading wedding consultants, planners, designers, creative partners and luxury vendors for a full day of dialogue, discovery and collaboration. Abu Dhabi Wedding Show is an integral part of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors and contribute AED 90 billion to the GDP by 2030.This year’s programme featured keynote sessions and panel discussions led by influential voices from the international wedding industry. Attendees explored Abu Dhabi’s diverse offering for destination weddings, including its rich cultural identity, exceptional venues, luxurious hospitality, and extensive connectivity. Haitham Ali Khamis, Acting Director of Tourism Products Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi Wedding Show has become an important meeting point for the global weddings and celebrations community. The conversations and partnerships formed here help move the industry forward and strengthen our ecosystem, in line with Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, as we continue to foster innovation, support local talent, and create unforgettable experiences for couples from around the world.” Delegates explored the full range of Abu Dhabi’s wedding offering, from iconic hotels and resorts to intimate cultural venues and spectacular outdoor settings. The emirate’s track record of safety and security, seamless travel access and the convenience of 24-hour express civil wedding ceremonies were highlighted as major advantages for couples planning a destination celebration. This year’s edition also spotlighted the role of education and talent development in shaping the sector’s future. In collaboration with the Les Roches school of hospitality management, DCT Abu Dhabi is supporting emerging Emirati talent by providing internship pathways and hands-on learning opportunities through the event, …

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) officially welcomed the inaugural flight of Air Arabia, flight G9756 from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, which landed at Krabi International Airport. This new route marks a significant achievement under TAT’s Airline Focus Strategy, which aims to expand Thailand’s accessibility by working closely with international airlines—particularly in the Middle East, one of Thailand’s fastest-growing and highest-spending visitor markets. The new Sharjah–Krabi flight complements Air Arabia’s existing routes to Bangkok and Phuket. The new daily direct service began on 28 November 2025, operated with Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, offering 174–215 seats per flight and more than 5,220 additional seats per month into Krabi. This expansion is expected to attract more high-spending Middle Eastern travelers and support Thailand’s strategy to grow quality tourism sustainably. To maximize visibility of the new route, TAT Dubai Office partnered with key stakeholders to host KOLs on a curated Health & Wellness familiarization program in Krabi, showcasing premium tourism products and enhancing destination appeal among Middle Eastern travellers. The Middle East market continues to show strong momentum. Travelers from **GCC countries—UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—**are known for high purchasing power and strong interest in health & wellness, family travel, and premium leisure experiences, which align closely with Thailand’s strengths. From 1 January to 23 November 2025, Thailand welcomed more than 728,340 visitors from this region, with an average stay of 10 days and trip expenditure of around 100,000 THB. TAT projects over 850,000 Middle Eastern visitors in 2025, with Air Arabia’s added capacity supporting significant growth. Beyond improving travel accessibility, the direct Sharjah–Krabi route helps disperse income to local communities—including hotels, restaurants, spas, wellness operators, and tourism businesses—stimulating job creation, …

Dubai Airports has entered the winter travel season with one of its strongest networks in history, as Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) welcome new airlines and expanded connectivity to meet rising seasonal travel demand. Direct traffic remains a defining feature of DXB’s winter season, now accounting for 55% of passenger demand. This uplift is part of a regular annual cycle influenced by the cooler climate, a packed calendar of international business, sports and entertainment events, residents travelling abroad for holidays or family gatherings, and the continuous flow of people choosing to live in Dubai for the long or medium term. Europe and Central Asia are driving considerable uplift this winter. FlyArystan joined the network on 29 November with twice-weekly flights from the Kazakh city of Aktau, while Austrian Airlines returned on 2 December with five weekly services from Vienna. Capacity from European carriers is also rising. Virgin Atlantic has deployed the A350-1000 on its Dubai route, lifting seat capacity by 52%, and British Airways has restored A380 services from London Heathrow. Together, these moves signal robust confidence from European markets heading into the festive season. Seasonal demand from South Asia and the wider Middle East is also deepening DXB’s connectivity. Varesh Airline introduced twice-weekly flights from Sari in Iran on 30 October, and Fly Jinnah added twice-weekly services from Lahore on 2 November, reinforcing strong point-to-point traffic from regional hubs where winter travel to and from Dubai typically intensifies. One of the sharpest rises this season is coming from Saudi Arabia. which is already DXB’s second-largest country market at 7.8% of total passengers as of October year-to-date. Combined traffic from Saudi Arabia reached 6.3 …

Golden Sands Hotel Apartments walked away with the title ‘Most comfortable hotel apartments’ at the 8th edition of the  Arabian Travel Awards 2025″Winning the Arabian Travel Awards is a significant recognition of our commitment to providing warm, welcoming, and thoughtfully designed stays for our guests. This award reinforces our focus on comfort, quality, and reliable service. As we look ahead, we aim to further enhance the guest experience, adopt smarter solutions, and continue improving every aspect of our offerings.” Marouf Diab, Director of Operations 

Kuwait Airways has announced the strengthening of its codeshare agreement with SriLankan Airlines. The agreement will strengthen cooperation by including the Kuwait Airways’ code on SriLankan Airlines’ flights operating to several key destinations in Asia, namely Malé and Gan in the Maldives, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This will provide Kuwait Airways passengers seamless access to popular tourism and business hubs within the company’s network. Likewise, SriLankan Airlines will include its code on numerous destinations operated by Kuwait Airways including London, United Kingdom, Rome, Italy, as well as Tbilisi, Georgia, and Baku, Azerbaijan, providing SriLankan Airlines’ customers with a new gateway to Europe via Kuwait. In a move to consolidate its global network of destinations and provide diverse travel options to its valued customers.  On this occasion, Kuwait Airways Chairman, Captain Abdulmohsen Salem Al-Fagaan, stated, “SriLankan Airlines is an important strategic partner for Kuwait Airways. This cooperation reflects our commitment as the national carrier of the State of Kuwait to providing a diverse network of destinations. Our goal is to provide our valued customers with a seamless, integrated travel experience.” Al-Fagaan added that this initiative aligns with Kuwait Airways’ vision to reinforce Kuwait’s position as a vital hub linking East and West. He also noted that Kuwait Airways launched its scheduled flights to Colombo, Sri Lanka in October, as part of its winter campaign, operating four flights per week. Al-Fagaan pointed out that Kuwait Airways will enable passengers to make reservations via the Customer Service Call Center (171) and the company’s various sales offices, in addition to the company’s website and electronic application. Al-Fagaan expressed his sincere hope that the agreement would contribute to attracting new segments of travelers, whether travelling …

A new PwC Middle East report, ‘ AI at the heart of tourism and hospitality: powering personalisation, efficiency and growth’, reveals that while 91% of regional industry leaders are already piloting or using AI technologies, only 3% have achieved full-scale implementation. The study, based on a survey of regional C-suite and senior leaders from leading hospitality organisations across the region, shows that AI adoption is advancing but uneven with uneven, with significant room for growth as the sector races toward 2030. As artificial intelligence moves from experimentation to necessity, the Middle East’s tourism and hospitality sector stands at a critical inflection point where early adoption is widespread, but enterprise-wide transformation remains largely untapped. Across the Middle East, countries are rapidly deploying AI and smart digital technologies to elevate visitor experiences and strengthen tourism’s contribution to national economic transformation agendas. In Saudi Arabia, AI is central to Vision 2030’s ambition of welcoming 150 million annual visitors and increasing tourism’s share of GDP from 3% to 10%. Similarly, the UAE is positioning itself as a global leader in AI-powered hospitality, using data and digital tools to enhance guest experiences, support secure data exchange, provide real-time insights for the tourism sector, and strengthen sustainable smart city practices. The report examines AI’s impact across four critical areas of the tourism and hospitality ecosystem: • Guest experience: Enhancing personalisation and anticipating traveller needs through real-time data and predictive insights. • Operations and data infrastructure: Connecting fragmented systems, automating processes, and enabling intelligent, data-driven management. • Human resources: Empowering employees with AI-driven training, adaptive learning, and workforce analytics to build a future-ready workforce. • Channel management: Optimising pricing, visibility, and reputation across digital platforms through smarter, AI-enabled …

Set to open by 2026 along the historic corniche, with sweeping views of the Red Sea, Raffles Jeddah is preparing to introduce a new era of refined coastal luxury to the Kingdom. Poised to become one of the city’s most anticipated ultra-luxury destinations, the property represents a significant milestone in the evolution of hospitality in Saudi Arabia, blending the legendary heritage of Raffles Hotels & Resorts with the cultural richness and contemporary energy of Jeddah. Long celebrated as the Bride of the Red Sea, Jeddah is entering a defining moment marked by creativity, cultural expression, and global connection. As the city draws travellers in search of authentic experiences, exceptional gastronomy, and elevated lifestyle offerings, Raffles Jeddah is set to become a natural reflection of this vibrant energy. Speaking on the upcoming opening, Fredrik Blomqvist, General Manager of Raffles Jeddah, said “The upcoming opening of Raffles Jeddah represents an important milestone for the city. Jeddah has always held a spirit of openness and cultural expression shaped by its relationship with the sea and its long history as a coastal gateway. With the introduction of the property, we honour those traditions while introducing the refined elegance and intuitive service that define the Raffles experience. Our ambition is to create a destination that feels beautifully connected to its surroundings, where every guest can experience the warmth of Saudi hospitality and the grace for which Raffles is known.” Rooted in over a century of elegance, artistry, and intuitive service, Raffles brings its legacy to Jeddah with a fresh coastal interpretation. From the moment guests arrive, they will be greeted by interiors that celebrate Hejazi craftsmanship, with delicate mashrabiya patterns, coral-inspired motifs, and soft hues …

Dubai Municipality has announced the launch of the region’s first integrated recreational vehicle (RV) route, marking a pioneering step in developing a new model of nature-based tourism in Dubai. The initiative will establish a single, easily accessible network of dedicated RV stations, serviced parks, and connected road trip experiences, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading regional destination for RV tourism while enhancing quality of life for residents and visitors through new outdoor experiences. As part of its strategic role, Dubai Municipality will develop the core infrastructure and issue the regulatory framework required to enable private-sector developers and operators to build, manage, and operate RV routes and dedicated parks across the emirate. This approach opens new investment opportunities, diversifies tourism offerings, and supports the growth of a comprehensive RV tourism ecosystem in Dubai. The RV route will offer a diverse range of experiences that reflect Dubai’s natural environments, spanning mountain, beach, and desert landscapes. By connecting these landscapes through a unified network of dedicated stops and parks, the initiative will provide visitors with a unique combination of adventure, nature, and cultural immersion within accessible and well-serviced outdoor destinations. Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, said: “The launch of the UAE’s first integrated RV route reflects Dubai Municipality’s commitment to developing innovative and sustainable tourism models that enhance quality of life and create new economic opportunities. By establishing the regulatory and infrastructure foundations for RV routes and parks, Dubai Municipality is enabling private-sector participation while offering residents and visitors new ways to experience Dubai’s natural environments through accessible, family-oriented outdoor destinations.” The initiative aligns with Dubai’s commitment to enhancing quality of life and supports the …

Oman Air has announced the launch of direct flights between Muscat and Singapore, commencing 2 July 2026. The new service marks the airline’s latest link to Southeast Asia, increasing accessibility between the two regions. Guests will now be able to fly direct from Muscat to Singapore four days a week – Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays – and experience the vibrant multicultural heritage, award-winning food scene and innovative attractions that the city-state is known for. With Oman Air recently joining the oneworld alliance, the new route also taps into key traffic flows via member airlines including Australia, Japan and Hong Kong, offering guests smooth connections and seamless frequent flyer benefits such as lounge access, mileage accrual and redemption, and more. “We’re excited to launch this new route, which enhances our growing network and strengthens the connection between Oman and Singapore,” said Con Korfiatis, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air. “With demand growing for distinctive destinations and high-quality travel experiences, this service expands choice for both leisure and business travellers. It also reinforces Muscat’s role as an important hub between East and West, enabling efficient connectivity between Asia-Pacific markets and Europe complemented by our oneworld partners.” Lim Ching Kiat, Executive Vice President, Air Hub & Cargo Development of Changi Airport Group added, “Oman Air’s new direct service to Muscat will introduce an exciting city link to Changi Airport’s wide connectivity network. As a leading global hub, Changi Airport offers travellers access to a wide range of destinations across Asia-Pacific and beyond, while creating new travel opportunities between the two markets.” The new service provides travellers from Oman with direct access to Singapore’s diverse visitor offering, from iconic landmarks such as Gardens …

Tawfeeq Holidays win ‘Best Destination Management Company Qatar’ at the 8th edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2025. “Tawfeeq Holidays is proud to receive the Best Destination Management Company award for Qatar. This recognition highlights our commitment to delivering exceptional travel experiences, seamless operations and personalized service. As a leading brand in the tourism sector, this award reinforces our vision to showcase Qatar as a world class destination. The achievement reflects the passion and dedication of our team, whose consistent efforts continue to create memorable journeys for our guests.”  Rehan Ali, CEO, Tawfeeq holidays.