The Events Investment Fund (EIF) launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, under the National Development Fund (NDF)  announced the development of the Riyadh Shooting Range & Entertainment Complex, its first landmark project at an investment exceeding SAR 491 million (over US$ 131 million). The announcement was made at the inaugural TOURISE Summit in Riyadh, the world’s premier platform for shaping the future of global tourism. Situated just 40 minutes from Riyadh, the state-of-the-art Riyadh Shooting Range & Entertainment Complex is located within Qiddiya City, the new global destination built entirely around the Power of Play. Located on a 457,000 sqm site, it will feature a world-class Shooting Sport venue that complies with International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) standards. It will host international and national events and provide both professional and amateur shooting training facilities, with professional and commercial ranges for pistol, rifle, and shotgun disciplines. The venue is designed with the capability to host national and international shooting events, including Asian Games, World Cups, Grand Prix and Olympic events, and is fully supported by the Saudi Shooting Federation (SSF). The Entertainment Complex will also comprise a wide range of experiences for corporate events and families, including paintball, airsoft, laser tag, and virtual shooting. The facility is anticipated to create more than 2,300 jobs and attract over 400,000 visitors annually. EIF’s Chief Executive Officer, Wahdan Suliman Alkadi said: “The Riyadh Shooting Range marks a major milestone in the journey of the Events Investment Fund and is our first landmark project, built to Qiddiya City’s international standards. This development reflects our commitment to creating world-class venues that enhance …

The 12th Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum (SITTF) officially commenced under the theme ” New Waves of Tourism Spectrum.” His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA in his opening speech emphasized that the tourism and travel sector is one of the most influential economic industries globally. Quoting the UN Tourism’s World Tourism Barometer report, he highlighted a 5% growth in global tourism during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, despite existing challenges. Additionally, he noted that international tourist arrivals reached approximately 690 million between January and June 2025, representing an increase of 33 million from the previous year. Organized by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and in strategic partnership with the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq). The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Finance Department, alongside a host of prominent figures, officials, and representatives from government and private entities in the tourism sector, as well as members of the media. The event began with the UAE national anthem, followed by a visual presentation outlining the forum’s objectives and key session themes. His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, then delivered the opening speech, welcoming the forum’s participants and attendees. The event features global experts, creative industry leaders, and policymakers to discuss and explore the latest trends in global tourism and how modern technologies can be harnessed to improve visitor experience and promote sustainability in the industry. Al Midfa stated that Sharjah continues to advance in digital transformation and sustainable innovation within the tourism sector, aided by visionary leadership that prioritized infrastructure development and the …

Emirates and Air Canada announced a commitment to expand and extend their strategic partnership, building on the success of a three-year-old agreement between two of the world’s leading airlines. The renewed agreement will deepen their cooperation, lead to enhanced services for customers and cargo shippers, and create the potential for new gateways within Canada in the codeshare network. Since launching their strategic partnership in 2022, the airlines have already served more than 550,000 customers, connecting travellers across 56 codeshare routes linking Canada, the U.S., Dubai and key destinations around the globe. The carriers have signed a memorandum of understanding to extend the reciprocal codeshare and loyalty partnership until December 31, 2032. “Air Canada’s partnership with Emirates has been highly successful, and we are proud to renew it early, expanding its scope and extending its duration through 2032. This agreement strengthens our international strategy by supporting our daily, year-round service between Toronto and Dubai and providing customers and shippers seamless connections to destinations across the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Renewing this partnership is great news, not just for our customers – many of whom have family, cultural or business ties to these regions – but also for Canada, as it enhances our ability to connect the country to the world amid evolving trade and travel patterns,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer and President, Cargo at Air Canada. “Our strategic partnership with Air Canada has delivered exceptional results, and we are pleased to extend this collaboration through 2032. This agreement strengthens our passenger and cargo capabilities, enabling us to enhance customer experiences on codeshare flights while expanding network connectivity for travellers across both markets,” said …

Dubai International (DXB) achieved the highest quarterly traffic in its 65-year history in Q3 2025, welcoming 24.2 million guests between July and September – a 1.9% increase year-on-year. The strong third-quarter performance lifted total traffic for the first nine months to 70.1 million guests, representing a 2.1% increase over the same period last year. The airport’s twelve-month rolling traffic at the end of September reached a record 93.8 million guests. Aircraft movements also remained robust, with 115,000 total flights recorded in the third quarter. Between January and September, DXB handled 336,000 flights across all categories, up 2.7% year on year. The average number of passengers per aircraft at the end of September stood at 213. While DXB continues to deliver exceptional operational performance, Dubai Airports’ focus is firmly on continuing to maintain the superb performance whilst getting ready for its next leap forward. Future priority projects to enhance areas across all terminals are underway and include CB Central – a unique space within Terminal 3 that showcases Dubai’s biggest and best brands and experiences. CB East – a dynamic family-friendly space with mainstream eateries and entertainment areas for all ages. CB West – the new centre of DXB providing premium shopping and casual dining experiences for passengers. And within T1, CD Central – the space located in the middle of Concourse D, with panoramic views of the airfield, refreshed dwell areas, innovative passenger information and easy access to major retail stores. As Dubai Airports continues to manage growth at DXB, Dubai Airports is also looking to the future with the preparation of Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), marking the beginning of Dubai’s new aviation era. Set to …

TOURISE Destination Initiative (TDI) brings together global leaders from government, international organizations, academia, and the private sector, to transform destinations into living laboratories for tourism innovation. Guided by its Declaration of Principles, TDI champions safety, environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and community-centered development through responsible technology and multi-sector collaboration. TDI’s first project, “AI for Tourism Safety,” aims to promote the responsible deployment of AI in TDI member destinations. The project builds on insights from Surveillance or Safety? How Cities are Rewriting Tourism, a white paper by the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR). Authored by Mauricio Rodas—Visiting Scholar at Penn IUR and former Mayor of Quito—the paper explores the ethical and operational challenges of AI in urban tourism and was launched alongside TDI. “As destinations, we carry the responsibility of protecting what makes us unique, our people, our heritage, and our future,” said His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Aseer Province and Co-Chair of the TOURISE Destination Initiative. “Through TDI, we are creating a shared space for cities to lead; by embracing innovation rooted in ethics and empathy, we ensure that tourism becomes a force for safety, dignity, and sustainable development.” TDI is co-chaired by Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Aseer Province, and Luigi Brugnaro, Mayor of Venice, and founding members include: • Patricia de Lille, Minister of Tourism, Republic of South Africa • Mateo Julián Estrella Durán, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Ecuador • Mateo Julian Estrella Duran, Ministier of Touirsm, Republic of Maldives • Francis Suarez, Mayor of Miami, United States • Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco • Natalia Bayona, Executive Director, UN …

The Jamaica Tourist Board continues with its “Discover Jamaica” webinar series for GCC-based travel professionals. Tune in today  19 November at 13:00 UAE Time. Designed exclusively for travel agents in the Gulf region, this session provides a comprehensive overview of Jamaica as a viable destination, equipping agents with the knowledge they need to confidently sell the island. The webinar will cover essential facts about Jamaica, including its key resort areas – Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Kingston, Port Antonio, and the South Coast, highlighting their unique selling points, top hotels and resorts, and must-see attractions, from Dunn’s River Falls to the Blue Mountains. This webinar is a valuable resource to help travel agents design unforgettable Caribbean itineraries for their clients.

The Agentic Tourism Initiative was unveiled at the inaugural TOURISE Summit, introducing the world’s first Agentic Protocol for Tourism, a universal digital framework set to transform every stage of the traveler’s journey. Launched in partnership with TOURISE and Globant, the Initiative builds on the momentum of the acclaimed whitepaper Tourism’s AI Takeover: Reinventing Travel through Agentic Tourism to create a landmark application of AI. It directly answers the whitepaper’s call to create an Open Protocol for Tourism AI, defining how AI agents interact from inspiration to return. The result: intelligent, seamless, and sustainable travel experiences across the global tourism ecosystem. The Initiative brings together a diverse coalition of founding members across technology, infrastructure, aviation, and destination leadership, including: Globant, Red Sea Global, HUMAIN, Riyadh Air, King Salman International Airport, World Travel & Tourism Council, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Hollibob, and Trip.com. This collaborative approach ensures the Agentic Protocol is technically robust, inclusive, and adaptable to the evolving needs of travelers, operators, and destinations worldwide. “We are proud to see the Agentic Tourism Initiative take flight from the Kingdom, reflecting our commitment to shaping the future of global travel through innovation and collaboration. This protocol represents a bold step toward harmonizing technology with the human spirit of exploration. By anchoring AI in empathy and cultural intelligence, we are not only enhancing the traveler’s experience, we are empowering destinations to grow sustainably, inclusively, and with purpose,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Guided by the principle “Digitize the expected. Humanize the unexpected,” the Initiative aims to amplify, not replace, human creativity, empathy, and connection. AI will serve as an enabler, empowering the people and places …

flyadeal announced the Holy City of Madinah as its fourth and newest base in the Kingdom. Two aircraft will be permanently positioned at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport from 1 January 2026. flyadeal currently has operational bases in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Domestic scheduled flights from Madinah will be launched to four cities across the Kingdom – the southwest coastal city of Jazan; Tabuk in the northwest; Al Hofuf in the country’s Eastern Province; and Abha in the southwestern mountainous region of Aseer province.  Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Istanbul will become the second international destination to be introduced direct from Madinah, with plans for further expansion beyond Saudia Arabia over the next few months. The additional flights will increase flyadeal’s existing capacity from Madinah by 30 per cent to 84 scheduled domestic and international services a week. flyadeal’s current Madinah operations cover domestic services to Dammam and Riyadh, plus international flights to the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The carrier also operates year-round Umrah services from several countries direct to Madinah, north of the Saudi port city of Jeddah. Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “With scale comes opportunities. flyadeal has progressively increased its fleet size to 43 which allows us to now position aircraft across principal cities including Madinah where passenger demand simply demands our resources to be spread out. Madinah was a natural addition as a base given its prominence as the second holiest city in the Islamic world that draws pilgrims from all parts of the globe throughout the year.” Almost 70 per cent of flyadeal’s 43-strong narrowbody fleet of Airbus A320s is based at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh; 11 aircraft are positioned …

The largest ever edition of Dubai Airshow has opened at Dubai World Central (DWC) – Dubai Airshow Site. During day one, significant orders and deals were announced, including a multi-billion-dollar commercial order from Emirates, reaffirming the strong demand for air travel. Emirates announced an order for 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, powered by GE 9X engines, worth US$ 38 billion. In addition, Ethiopian Airlines committed to purchase 11 additional 737 MAX jets, which will enable the airline to grow its regional and international networks and expand its Addis Ababa hub. Boeing and TAAG Angola Airlines also announced an agreement to extend training programs for pilots. The pilot training programs will focus on competency and data-informed scenarios for both new student pilots and experienced professional pilots. Furthermore, Embraer signed an agreement with Airlink to support its new fleet of 10 Azorra leased E195-E2 jets. Further news from day one includes Airbus Helicopters welcoming Bristow Group, a global leader in innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions, as the newest operator of the Airbus H160. It will introduce up to five H160s into its fleet for offshore energy missions across Africa. The UAE’s Tawazun council also announced eight deals totalling AED 3.766 billion, including contracts signed with Global Air Navigation Services (GANS), GAL, International Golden Group (IGG), Maximus Air, and Abu Dhabi Shipping Agency LLC (ADSA). flydubai placed a new order for 60 GEnx-1B engines from GE Aerospace to support its upcoming fleet of 30 Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The agreement also covers spare engines and a long-term service package that will support the airline as it prepares to begin long-haul operations. Tim Hawes, Managing Director of Informa Markets said: “Dubai Airshow 2025 opened with …

The Jamaica Tourist Board continues with its “Discover Jamaica” webinar series for GCC-based travel professionals. The next session will take place on the 19 November at 13:00 UAE Time. Designed exclusively for travel agents in the Gulf region, this session provides a comprehensive overview of Jamaica as a viable destination, equipping agents with the knowledge they need to confidently sell the island. The webinar will cover essential facts about Jamaica, including its key resort areas – Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Kingston, Port Antonio, and the South Coast, highlighting their unique selling points, top hotels and resorts, and must-see attractions, from Dunn’s River Falls to the Blue Mountains. This webinar is a valuable resource to help travel agents design unforgettable Caribbean itineraries for their clients.