flydubai grows its presence in Romania, first UAE carrier to do so
Dubai, UAE -- flydubai inaugurated its new service to Iași, becoming the first UAE carrier to serve direct flights from...
Business
TOURISE 2025: Riyadh to host premier summit for sustainable tourism
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has officially unveiled TOURISE, a groundbreaking global platform set...
Business
The Transformative Power of Travel
Geostrategy
Jordan’s Umm al-Jimal added to UNESCO heritage list
Amman, Jordan - Jordan's Umm al-Jimal village has been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List, in a move hailed on Sunday...
- The village is near the Jordanian-Syrian border, 86 kilometres north of Amman, and is known as "the black oasis" due to the prevalence of black volcanic rock in the area
- The village was first settled by the Nabataean peoples in the first century AD and later occupied by the Romans, becoming an important agricultural and commercial village
IOC creates historic Olympic Esports Games with 2025 launch in Saudi
History was made today when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to create Olympic Esports Games. The first edition will...
- Saudi already has over 23.5 million gamers, of whom almost half are females
- Saudi has hosted over 1,700 elite players from over 80 countries over the last two years
Paris prepares warm Olympics welcome — except for rats
While the Paris Olympics is set to be a festival of socializing and intermingling, city authorities are keen for visitors...
- Boulevards and squares have been thoroughly spruced up, with many historic buildings given a makeover
- "Where there were areas with lots of rats, we put traps in place ahead of the Games" - French Deputy Mayor
Moonlit scramble across the sand for Turkey’s booming baby turtle population
Manavgat, Turkey - The baby loggerhead sea turtles emerged from their eggshells and began their first challenge in life: a wobbly...
- It is a perilous journey into the unknown for the sea turtles as only about one in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood
- Despite grave threats from humans and predators such as birds, crabs and ants, protection measures are bearing fruit on Turkey's southern coast
Business
Saudi Arabia’s tourist spending reaches $40bn: minister
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlights the upcoming launch of a tourist visa aimed at drawing more international...
- Passenger air traffic in Saudi Arabia rose by 17 percent in the first half of 2024, reaching 62 million compared to 53 million in the same period last year
- This growth was aided by a 12 percent increase in flights, with 446,000 recorded compared to 399,000 in the first half of 2023
Al-Hada and Muhammadya Al-Shafa in Taif: A tapestry of tourism, nature
Taif, Saudi Arabia - Taif and its serene towering mountains, nestled deep within the majestic Sarawat Mountains, serve as a...
- The paved roads of Al-Hada and Al-Shafa mountains, such as Akabat Al-Kar and Akabat Al-Muhammadya, provide easy access to biodiversity
- Visitors can spend their days under the shade of abundant juniper trees and beside cool freshwater streams, allowing them to appreciate Taif's unique and pristine natural diversity
Business
Chinese company to build Saudi Arabia’s first ocean park
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Haichang Ocean Park Holdings, China's largest ocean theme park operator, announced plans on Thursday to build...
- Haichang, which has a history of marine-themed tourism spanning over two decades, has previously collaborated on tourism projects in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia
- Currently operating parks in cities such as Shanghai, Dalian, Zhengzhou, and Sanya, Haichang attracts more than 20 million visitors annually
Economy
Oregon leverages coastal adventures and diverse landscapes to expand its tourism market
Oregon's tourism strategy focuses on year-round visitation, sustainability, and regenerative travel, aiming to optimize economic impact while preserving natural beauty...
- Oregon is a destination where you can wander along stunning shorelines, trek volcanic peaks, and paddle serene lakes
- But it is not just natural beauty, the coastal gem also boasts some of the nation's finest breweries and restaurants
GCC tourism’s contribution to GDP expected to surge by 2030: Fitch
GCC tourism's GDP contribution will rise from $130 billion in 2023 to over $340 billion by 2030, driven by aviation...
- The GCC countries have set ambitious targets for their tourism sectors to diversify their economies away from oil dependence
- The aviation industry is anticipated to play a critical role in this expansion, with air passenger traffic projected to grow substantially
Arts & Culture
Qatar to witness GCC’s highest growth in hospitality industry revenue until 2028
Hospitality industry revenue in Qatar is expected to witness the highest growth rate in GCC until 2028, Alpen Capital has...
- Qatar’s hospitality sector projected to rise 11% annually from $0.9bn in 2023 to $1.5bn in 2028
- In 2024 alone, Qatar is slated to host over 80 events scheduled throughout the year
flydubai grows its presence in Romania, first UAE carrier to do so
Dubai, UAE -- flydubai inaugurated its new service to Iași, becoming the first UAE carrier to serve direct flights from...
Business
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The Transformative Power of Travel
Geostrategy
81 percent of Saudi population attends cultural events, activities in 2024: GASTAT
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Nearly 81.6 percent of Saudi individuals visited at least one cultural event or activity in 2024, according...
Arts & Culture
‘Authenticity, experiences, culture, generational and solo travel to lead tourism trends’
Visit Saudi, experience the warmth, generosity and hospitality of the people, Jerry Inzerillo tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.
Business
Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2025 kicks off Friday with over 800 competitors
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Dakar Rally 2025, the largest and longest race in the world of motorsports, is set...
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Pre-Covid travel industry arrival figures are back but venture capital is experiencing delays
The global tourism industry has turned the clock back to 2019 before COVID created a massive hole in worldwide passenger...
- UN Tourism tracked 1.3 billion global arrivals, up from 975 million a year earlier, near 2019 figures of 1.475 billion
- Greenfield FDI in tourism was under the US$11 billion mark in 2023 below the US$59bn recorded in 2019
Economy
Qatar outpaces Saudi Arabia and UAE in tourism growth with 147% surge
Doha, Qatar - Qatar has emerged as the leading player in the Middle East tourism sector, boasting an impressive 147%...
- The surge in tourism can be attributed to Qatar's strategic investments in luxury offerings, and a visa-free entry policy for citizens of 102 countries
- Qatar has effectively leveraged high-profile events like the FIFA World Cup to enhance its global tourism profile, alongside significant infrastructure development
Economy
Saudi Arabia achieves 73 percent increase in international tourist arrivals: UN report
The kingdom welcomed 17.5 million international tourists in the first seven months of 2024, leading G20 nations in tourism growth...
- According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Kingdom continued to top the list of G20 countries in the indicators of the growth rate of the number of international tourists
- The Kingdom's various tourist destinations have witnessed a significant rise in international tourist numbers this year, with the number of tourist arrivals reaching 17.5 million