Red Sea International Airport (RSI), operated by daa International, celebrated Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight from Doha to RSI marking a milestone as RSI’s second international route, the new Qatar Airways flight will run three time weekly, further expanding access to The Red Sea by providing direct connectivity to Qatar and seamless one-stop access to travellers from Europe. Enabled by the strategic support of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), and the Air Connectivity Programme (ACP), the inaugural Qatar Airways flight was welcomed by an esteemed delegation. Guests in attendance to mark the momentous occasion included John Pagano, Group CEO at Red Sea Global, Ahmad Darwish, Group Chief Administrative Officer at Red Sea Global, Andrew Tyler-Smith, CEO at RSI, Anas Ali Almahbob, GM of Economic Licenses at GACA. Qatar Airways delegation was led by Abdulla Al-Malki, SVP Business Control and Financial Support, Mr. Karthik Viswanathan, VP Sales – Middle East, Caucasus, Pakistan & ISC, and Sheikh Jassim bin Fahad Al-Thani, Head of Aeropolitical & Regulatory Affairs. Once Qatar Airways received their official route license from GACA, delegates enjoyed a tour of RSI’s elevated passenger experience including landscaped gardens, serene architecture and a landmark VIP lounge experience. With more connections and services on the horizon, the airport is set to become a key gateway to one of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Located 90 km south of Al Wajh in the west of Saudi Arabia, RSI is within three hours flying time for 250 million people and within eight hours for 85% of the global population.

Accor announced the signing of the Creekside Hotel in Dubai owned by Dubai Duty Free and operated by United Hospitality Management, the hotel will join the Accor network under a white-label franchise agreement before being fully repositioned and added to the MGallery Collection following a detailed renovation plan. Situated in Al Garhoud, and incorporating the Aviation Club, home of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and just minutes from Dubai International Airport, Festival City Mall, the Gold Souk, and heritage sites such as Al Fahidi (Bastakiya), the Creekside Hotel enjoys a prime location overlooking the historic Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Cub. The hotel has long been recognized as a hidden gem within the city, seamlessly blending modern architecture, sweeping views, and connectivity to both business and leisure districts. The property features 292 rooms and suites, each designed for modern comfort and offering views over the creek and cityscape. It is also home to an impressive, curated collection of approximately 482 commissioned artworks by 52 artists, displayed throughout public areas, guestrooms, and bespoke furniture, reflecting MGallery’s emphasis on storytelling and cultural richness. Leisure and wellness offerings include two outdoor pools with a rooftop deck overlooking the atrium, the Akaru Spa with 14 treatment rooms, sauna and steam rooms, as well as access to the Aviation Club Fitness Centre, including gym, indoor squash courts, outdoor tennis courts and paddle courts. The property holds a unique place in the city’s cultural and sporting fabric as the home of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, an arena synonymous with the annual Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships that attracts some of the biggest names in global sport. The white-label management agreement reflects a shared …

flydubai has announced seven new interline agreements, boosting its total number of interline partners to over 40 and offering passengers access to more than 300 destinations across the combined networks. The Dubai-based carrier continues to expand connectivity across Asia and Europe, strengthening Dubai’s position as a global aviation hub. Passengers can now connect to over 30 European destinations through Greece’s Aegean Airlines and Italy’s ITA Airways, including Amsterdam, Athens, Brussels, Frankfurt, Madrid, Munich, Thessaloniki, Turin, and Venice. In Asia, interline partnerships with Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, and Myanmar Airways International open up more than 90 destinations across the Far East and South-East Asia, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, and Yangon. flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said: “These agreements provide our passengers with more flexibility and choice while enhancing Dubai’s accessibility for tourism and business. Our commitment to seamless travel ensures single-ticket itineraries and through-checked baggage across partner networks.” With a modern fleet of 95 Boeing 737 aircraft, flydubai offers an elevated travel experience in Business and Economy Class, featuring lie-flat seats, international menus, and immersive inflight entertainment. Interline flights are available for booking via flydubai.com, partner airline websites, and travel agents.

The value of MENA’s hospitality market is set to grow from US$310 billion in 2025 to more than US$487 billion by 2032, according to data released ahead of the Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World, Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, 27-29 October. The travel and tourism sector is projected to contribute US$367 billion to the Middle East economy and support 7.7 million jobs this year, says the World Travel and Tourism Council. International visitor spending is expected to reach nearly US$194 billion, up nearly a quarter from 2019, pre-pandemic levels, with domestic spending forecast to hit US$113 billion. As of Q2 2025, the Middle East’s hotel construction pipeline reached an all-time high of 650 projects with 161,574 rooms. At the end of June, 337 projects, with almost 86,500 rooms, were under construction, with 147 projects due to start by Q2 2026. Saudi Arabia tops the Middle Eastern hotel construction chart, with more than 92,000 rooms across 342 projects. Next is Egypt with 127 projects and a record-high room count of over 28,000, followed by the UAE with 100 projects (25,470 rooms); Oman with 27 projects (4,709 keys) and Qatar with 16 projects (nearly 3,500 rooms). The unprecedented hospitality, tourism and infrastructure expansion reinforces the region’s position as a global magnet for investment, say experts. Amr El Nady, Head of Hotels & Hospitality MEA and Managing Director, Global Hotel Desk at Jones Lang Lasalle, said: “Saudi Arabia is targeting 150 million tourist arrivals annually by 2030, while Egypt aims for 30 million international visitors by 2028. Both nations are seeking to significantly increase tourism’s contribution to their GDP, with KSA targeting 10% and Egypt 15%. This strategic focus is driving substantial hospitality investment, …

The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will open to the public on 22 November in Saadiyat Cultural District, marking a significant cultural milestone for the emirate. As the largest museum of its kind in the region, it represents a new global destination for science, nature, and education, inviting visitors to explore the story of life on our planet and engage in conversations about its future. The 35,000-square-metre museum is an exciting addition to the UAE’s evolving cultural landscape. It takes visitors on an immersive journey through 13.8 billion years of natural history – from the Big Bang and the formation of our solar system to the evolution of life, including the rise and fall of dinosaurs and the extraordinary biodiversity of our planet. Among the highlights of the museum are three travellers from deep time. One is the famed specimen affectionately known as Stan, a nearly complete skeleton of a mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, an apex predator which ruled the Earth 67 million years ago. It is joined by the largest animal ever known, represented by a magnificent, 25-metre female blue whale specimen, offering extraordinary insight into evolution, marine biodiversity, and the planet’s ongoing story of life. Completing the trio is the Murchison Meteorite – an artefact that witnessed the formation of our planet and contains 7-billion-year-old grains formed even before our Solar System. H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “The opening of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi marks a major milestone in our journey to shape the emirate’s cultural landscape. The museum offers an immersive look at the story of life on Earth, framed for the first time …

According to the latest economic report issued by the Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Chamber, the region of Madinah witnessed 74.7% hotel occupancy with an average daily rate of SAR538, and revenue per available room hitting SAR402. Among the figures Madinah stands at the top position followed by Jeddah with 59.7% and Riyadh with 58.3%. Among licensed hospitality facilities in the Madinah region reached 523 facilities and 456 facilities in within the city comprising 362 hotels and 95 serviced apartments. The hospitality sector in Madinah Region witnessed a notable change during the first half of 2025, topping the regions of the Kingdom in hotel occupancy rates. The report pointed out that the total licensed hospitality facilities in Madinah Region reached 523 facilities by the end of the first half of the year. Of these, 456 facilities are within the city of Madinah itself (comprising 361 hotels and 95 serviced apartments). The total number of licensed rooms in the region reached about 64,569 rooms, with hotels accounting for 94%, placing Madinah second only to Makkah in the number of licensed hotel rooms. Reported by SPA.

Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways announced the launch of codeshare flights to 19 destinations, with more set to be added in the near future. Kenya Airways customers can book codeshare flights between Nairobi and Doha, as well as to 10 destinations connecting through the award-winning Hamad International Airport. Similarly, Qatar Airways customers now have access to eight destinations in Kenya Airways’ network, connecting through three daily flights between Doha and Nairobi. Passengers will be able to travel on these codeshare flights from 26 October 2025. Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori, said: “We are pleased with the significant progress made in just a few months since the partnership initiated with Kenya Airways, and this enhancement is a testament of the collaborative efforts which further strengthens our presence in Kenya and the African continent. The recent addition of Qatar Airways’ third daily flight to Nairobi also serves as another cornerstone of this partnership that is driven by strong demand from passengers seeking reliable and seamless connectivity.” Kenya Airways Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, Julius Thairu, said: “We are excited to embark on this new chapter of our partnership with Qatar Airways. This partnership will significantly enhance connectivity especially across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, expanding our flight offerings, and opening up a world of new destinations for our customers to explore. Together with Qatar Airways, we are dedicated to providing our customers with easy access to a variety of destinations, paired with better connectivity and a seamless travel experience.” Today’s announcement enables Qatar Airways to continue expanding its footprint within the African continent, providing passengers from more than 170 destinations across the globe with easier access to key leisure and …

The Ministry of Tourism Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by Minister Hon. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has approved new policies and regulations to register workers and localise activities across all licensed tourism facilities in the Kingdom. The move aims to strengthen the contribution of Saudi nationals to the tourism sector, create new employment opportunities, and enhance overall service quality in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Under the new regulations, all employees at tourism establishments, including hotels, resorts, and tour operators must be registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s systems before commencing work. Contracts, whether contractual, seconded, or seasonal, are to be documented via the Ajeer platform or other approved systems. Facilities with multiple branches must ensure employee records are linked to the correct licensed location. The policies also mandate that all tourism hospitality facilities have a Saudi receptionist on duty during working hours and prohibit outsourcing positions subject to Saudization decisions to entities or workers outside the Kingdom. Compliance will be strictly monitored, with penalties applied for violations in coordination with relevant government agencies. These measures are expected to empower national talent, improve service standards, and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a world-class tourism destination.

Saudi travellers are showing a marked shift in their holiday preferences, with destinations such as Da Nang in Vietnam and Shanghai in China witnessing significant spikes in interest, according to Jarrod Kris, Head of Destination Partnerships APAC at Skyscanner, in a special interview with TTME at ITB Asia. Da Nang recorded a 260% year-on-year increase in searches, driven by its golden beaches, marble mountains, and lively street food culture, while Shanghai saw an even higher 285% surge, reflecting a growing curiosity for culturally rich, non-traditional destinations. Kris noted that 89% of Saudi travellers are now planning mountain escapes for summer or autumn next year, marking a major lifestyle trend toward nature-based and multi-generational travel. Other rising destinations include Turkey, Armenia, Jaipur, Hong Kong, and Tanzania, as Saudi tourists look beyond Europe for new experiences. He added that improved air connectivity and easier visa access to Asian destinations are accelerating this trend. The data underscores a broader transformation in GCC travel behaviour, with younger travellers in particular driving demand for diverse, immersive, and family-oriented journeys.

Zayed National Museum will open for visitors in December 2025 in Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi. The landmark institution honours the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his commitment to education, identity and belonging. The museum will provide visitors with an immersive journey through the history and heritage of the UAE, complementing existing landmarks such as Louvre Abu Dhabi and the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Travel trade partners and destination management companies are expected to benefit from increased demand for cultural itineraries and experiential travel packages. Designed by renowned architect Lord Norman Foster, the museum’s opening reinforces Abu Dhabi’s vision to position itself as a global cultural destination, attracting both leisure and business travellers. Through immersive exhibitions, active research and public and community programming, the museum builds on Sheikh Zayed’s vision, upholding the values he stood for, including humanitarianism and the preservation of Emirati culture and heritage. Visitors will explore six permanent galleries across two floors, spanning 300,000 years of human history, as well as a temporary exhibition gallery. The museum’s collection features artefacts from across the UAE, including donations related to the heritage of the UAE, in addition to domestic and international loans. His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said: “The cultural legacy of the UAE has been nurtured over decades, from the establishment of its earliest cultural institutions to today’s expansive vision for cultural exchange and knowledge. Saadiyat Cultural District represents the next chapter in this national journey, curating world-class institutions that honour the past and engage the future. As the national museum of the UAE, Zayed National …