Wego released exclusive insights into Ramadan 2025 travel trends for UAE residents, highlighting surging demand for international destinations, strategic booking patterns, and a resurgence in staycation value. Wego analysis showed that YoY international flight searches from the UAE are up 32.45%, signaling a robust travel appetite during Ramadan. Egypt, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Philippines, Lebanon, Morocco, and Nepal are the most searched destinations from the UAE through the holy month. The lineup features Ramadan mainstays that suggest homegoing trips, religious travel, and easy getaways continue to fuel UAE travellers’ intent during this time period. All 10 destinations recorded healthy search growth this year, with standouts such as Nepal (+214.76%), and Pakistan (+82.65%) significantly outperforming last year’s numbers. The growth in interest is accompanied by rising airfares this year. YoY flight prices to 9 out of 10 popular Ramadan destinations on Wego saw an increase, with Egypt (+42.29%) and Lebanon (+40.94%) among the steepest hikes. Jordan remains the exception, offering a marginal 1.17% price drop compared to 2024. Wego experts caution that prices may escalate further as Eid al-Fitr approaches. UAE travelers tend to plan ahead for Ramadan trips, with the majority of 2024 Ramadan flights booked over a month in advance – a trend expected to repeat in 2025.  Average Dubai hotel rates during Ramadan have plummeted 54.04% YoY, driving a 3% increase in local staycation searches on Wego. Wego data also showed that 4-star hotels dominate preferences, accounting for 40.15% of bookings, as travellers prioritize quality and value.

As the Eid Al-Fitr holidays approach, Qatar is set to deliver an exceptional experience for visitors from across the GCC with the launch of its latest campaign, “Entertainment on Us”. The campaign offers four complimentary tickets to some of the country’s top entertainment and leisure destinations, making Qatar the ideal getaway for families and individuals seeking unique experiences. Visitors can enjoy an array of world-class attractions covered under the campaign, ensuring a memorable holiday for all. Doha Quest stands out as a must-visit destination, boasting the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster and drop tower. As for the water adventure enthusiasts, Meryal Waterpark on Qetaifan North Island features over 69 exhilarating attractions, including the world’s tallest waterslide tower. Meanwhile, Desert Falls Water & Adventure Park at Hilton Salwa Beach Resort offers an expansive water park, a variety of rides catering to all ages, and scenic beachfront areas in the heart of the city. For families seeking a blend of relaxing nature and adventure, Banana Island Resort by Anantara presents an exciting outdoor experience. While thrill-seekers, can enjoy the Angry Birds World, which features over 20 exciting rides suitable for all ages. Qatar in celebration of Eid has an exciting new spectacle. From 3 to 5 April, Lusail Sky Festival will captivate audiences with a drone show featuring 3,000 drones, dazzling fireworks, laser displays, a mesmerising water show, and breathtaking aerial performances, including paramotors and aircraft displays. The festival will also feature an extraordinary musical performance by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Visitors during the Eid holiday can also enjoy a range of musical and artistic performances, featuring both renowned stars and emerging talents. U Venue will host a live concert on 4 …

Emirates is gearing up for a busy travel period for Eid Al Fitr by deploying an additional 17 flights to destinations in the Middle East/GCC from 26 March to 6 April. This year, over 371,000 customers are expected to fly with the airline during the Eid Al Fitr break from around the region, with additional flights planned for Jeddah, Kuwait, Dammam and Amman. The expanded flight schedule offers customers travelling home or interested in exploring new destinations more opportunities to reunite, celebrate with their family and loved ones, or enjoy leisure getaways. Emirates will add six flights to/from Amman and another five flights between Dammam and Dubai. The airline will be layering on an extra four flights from Jeddah and the airline’s flight schedule from Kuwait will extend to another two services. The additional services provide more flexibility to venture to Dubai – a popular Eid destination – and beyond to popular destinations and leisure gateways in Thailand like Bangkok and Phuket, the UK, gateways across the US, South Africa and to visit family and friends in Mumbai, Karachi, and Cairo, among many other cities. Keeping with its heritage and Eid traditions, Emirates will be serving a special Eid menu across all travel classes on select flights to and from Dubai. The menu will be filled with delicacies including favourites like chicken madhbi, prawn matfi, chicken makloubeh, mixed grills like chicken shish taouk and lamb kofta, halwa brownie, and pistachio cake, among an array of other sweet and savoury dishes. Passengers traveling during Eid will also have access to a wide variety of entertainment options on ice, featuring more than 6,500 channels of on-demand content and over 2,000 international movies, including …

Satguru Travel and Tourism won the title of ‘Fastest Growing Travel Management Company – Bahrain’ at the seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2024. “Winning the Fastest Growing Travel Management Company 2024 award is a proud milestone for Satguru Travel. It boosts our credibility, showcases our dedication to excellence, and enhances marketing efforts to attract new clients. The award also opens doors to networking opportunities, fostering collaborations for further growth. As this is our first time receiving this prestigious award, it has greatly enhanced our credibility and visibility in the market. This recognition validates our commitment to excellence and inspires our team to continue setting benchmarks for innovation and customer satisfaction in the travel industry.” – Jacob Mathew, Head of Bahrain Branch, Satguru Travel & Tourism WLL – Bahrain

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi announced the expansion of its network with the launch of a new service between Zayed International Airport and Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport. Commencing on June 1st, 2025, the new route will operate 6 times a week, offering passengers seamless travel options to explore the rich cultural heritage of Armenia’s capital city. Schedule of flights, effective June 1st, 2025 (all times local), as follows: On Mondays and Wednesdays, flight 3L 441 will depart from Abu Dhabi at 14:05, arriving in Yerevan at 17:25. The return flight, 3L 442, will depart Yerevan at 18:15, landing in Abu Dhabi at 21:25. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, flight 3L 441 will depart Abu Dhabi at 09:00, reaching Yerevan at 12:20. The return flight 3L 442 will depart Yerevan at 13:10, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 16:20. All flights will be operated using the Airbus A320 aircraft. Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: “The launch of our new service to Yerevan underscores Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and supporting the growth of the UAE capital’s travel and tourism sector. We remain dedicated to expanding our network with key international destinations directly from Abu Dhabi, while providing our customers with affordable and value-driven travel options” The new route to Yerevan marks the 29th destination in Air Arabia Abu Dhabi’s growing network from Zayed International Airport, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to providing affordable and convenient travel solutions. The carrier currently serves key destinations directly from the capital Abu Dhabi including Ahmedabad, Alexandria, Amman, Baghdad, Bahrain, Baku, Beirut, Cairo, Chittagong, Chennai, Colombo, Dhaka, Faisalabad, Kathmandu, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Kuwait, Moscow, Multan, Muscat, Salalah, Sabiha, Tashkent, Tbilisi, Thiruvananthapuram, Trabzon …

Hamad International Airport (DOH) has officially unveiled its highly anticipated Concourses D and E, marking a major milestone in its expansion and increasing its capacity to over 65 million passengers annually. This development elevates traveller comfort and further establishes Doha as a key global aviation hub. The expansion project, which began in 2018, has now been completed with the opening of Concourse D and E, marking the culmination of the airport’s ambitious development plan. This milestone represents the final phase of a transformational journey initiated in 2022 with the unveiling of the ORCHARD, a 6,000-square-meter indoor tropical garden. The new concourses integrate seamlessly into the existing terminal, introducing cutting-edge technology and enhanced facilities to meet growing passenger demand. The terminal now spans 845,000 square meters—a 14% increase—while the addition of 17 new aircraft contact gates increases the total to 62, nearly 40% more than before, ensuring greater connectivity, streamlined operations, and significantly reducing bus transfers. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “Hamad International Airport is more than a gateway; it is a vital pillar of Qatar’s growth and global connectivity. I am pleased to see this expansion project, with conclusion of both concourses going live, which I have personally been involved with since 2018. While many global airport expansions have faced delays, we are proud to have delivered this major development ahead of schedule. This achievement reflects our commitment to operational excellence and strategic planning. This is not just about increasing capacity—it is about strengthening the entire Qatar Airways network, enhancing operational resilience, and supporting Qatar’s economic growth in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. This development allows us to meet the evolving demands …

Sabre Corporation announced that SalamAir has extended its multi-year partnership with Sabre’s Radixx solutions to support its continued growth and operational efficiency. This renewal will see SalamAir continue using Radixx Res for its reservation system and Radixx Insight for reporting, further reflecting the airline’s confidence in Sabre’s Radixx solutions. This long-term agreement provides stability and positions SalamAir for continued growth and success in an increasingly competitive airline industry. “This renewal is an important step in our partnership with SalamAir,” said Darren Rickey, Senior Vice President of Airline Sales at Sabre. “As SalamAir continues to grow in the region, we look forward to supporting their journey with the tailored solutions Radixx offers. This extended collaboration reflects SalamAir’s trust in our ability to provide reliable, scalable technology that aligns with their operational needs and strategic goals, including the transition to Offers and Orders. We are proud to be part of their growth and success.” SalamAir, known for offering affordable fares without compromising on service quality, has quickly become an important player in the aviation industry. With both domestic and international flights, the airline makes air travel more accessible to a wide range of customers. SalamAir’s focus on efficiency, customer satisfaction, and network expansion has fueled its rapid growth and positioned it as a preferred choice for budget-conscious travelers across Oman and beyond. “We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Sabre and their Radixx solutions,” said Steven Allen, Chief Commercial Officer of SalamAir. “The Radixx reservation system (Radixx Res) and data and insights platform (Radixx Insight) have been instrumental in supporting our growth, helping us innovate and deliver a seamless travel experience to our customers. This renewal reaffirms our confidence in Sabre’s …

Royal M Hotel & Resort by Gewan Al Aqah Beach Resort bagged the title of ‘Best Beach Resort’ at the seventh edition of the Arabian Travel Awards 2024. “Winning the Arabian Travel Award is an incredible honour and a proud moment for everyone at Gewan Hotels & Resorts. It is a testament to our team’s hard work, passion, and commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for our guests. This recognition fuels our confidence and inspires us to aim even higher, constantly innovating to delight those who choose us.”-Ahmed Hassib, CEO, Gewan Hotels & Resorts

The Group Vintage announced it has signed a franchise agreement with Marriott International, Inc. to open a dual-branded Marriott Hotel and Marriott Executive Apartments in Dubai Production City – a fast-growing business hub in the city. The hotel will be a conversion of an existing property operating as The Vintage Grand Hotel. The property will be conveniently located just 30 minutes away from Al Maktoum Airport and Dubai International Airport, with excellent connections to every part of the city. Kunal Bansal, Owner of The Group Vintage commented, “We are delighted to partner with Marriott International as we continue to expand in hospitality. Our dual-branded Marriott Hotel and Marriot Executive Apartments—set to be the largest Marriott Executive Apartments in UAE —will bring exceptional, new F&B experiences to this location which is rapidly emerging as the heart of the New Dubai corridor, catering to both our guests and the surrounding vibrant communities.” Saahil Lalit, Vice President – Development, Middle East, Marriott International added, “We look forward to working with The Group Vintage to grow our footprint in Dubai where we continue to see opportunities to further diversify our portfolio. The conversions of these properties are also a testament to the trust owners have in Marriott International and the reputation of our world-class brands.” The opening of Marriott Hotel Production City, Dubai is anticipated to mark the fifth hotel under the Marriott Hotel’s brand in Dubai. The hotel will exemplify the brand’s continued evolution and feature contemporary and intuitive spaces. Projected to open in 2026, the 345-room hotel will feature a number of dining outlets, the brand’s signature M Club lounge, a pool, fitness center and tennis courts. Marriott Executive Apartments continues to …

Emirates anticipates busy weekends ahead of and during the Eid Al Fitr holiday with heavy traveller volumes departing from and arriving to Dubai. The busiest time for departures in Terminal 3 will be on the 28 and 29 March, and on the 5 and 6 April, with more than 80,000 daily customers making their way abroad for their spring break holidays. With expected traffic congestion around Terminal 3 entrances, Emirates urges customers departing from Dubai to build in extra time for their journeys to avoid potential delays. Passengers should arrive at the airport up to 3 hours before their flight and take note of their boarding times to ensure they reach the departure gate on time without delay. Customers can use the broad range of check-in options available to them including online check in on emirates.com or the Emirates App open 48 hours before their departure; Emirates City Check in and Travel Store in ICD Brookfield Place from 24 hours up to 4 hours before departure, except for customers travelling to the US; book a home check-in from their residence or hotel; use the airline’s convenient check-in kiosks and baggage drop facilities in Terminal 3 and mobile check-in ports located throughout the terminal. Customers travelling from the northern Emirates can check in at the Ajman Central Bus Terminal from 24 hours up to 4 hours before their flight. Customers can also drop off their luggage at the airport the night before travel at no charge or check in early and drop off their bags 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours before departure if flying to the US. This allows them to proceed directly to immigration or Smart Tunnel for seamless processing. …