Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia achieved a surplus of SAR 22.8 billion ($6.07 billion) in the balance of payments for travel items in the first quarter of 2023, compared to a deficit of SAR 1.6 billion in Q1 2022, the Kingdom's Ministry of Tourism said. The ministry added that...

Muscat, Oman -- The revenues of 3-5-star hotels in Oman reached RO 122.5 million ($318 million) at the end of July 2023, up by 27.8 percent over the corresponding period in 2022. Statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) show that the total number of hotel...

Tehran, Iran-- China's ambassador to Iran has affirmed that his country's cooperation with Iran is at its best in various fields, voicing hope that both sides will further improve ties. Chang Hua made the remarks in a Saturday meeting with the governor of the northwestern Iranian province of West Azarbaijan...

A UNESCO World Heritage site for nearly four decades, the Old City has been classified as "in danger" since 2015, shortly after Saudi Arabia spearheaded a military intervention.

Shorelines at Habbaniyah, about 70 kilometres west of Baghdad, have receded by several dozen meters after years of drought ravaged parts of the country.

This performance will be delivered through constant contributions from the non-oil sector, especially from tourism, leisure and real estate. The OPEC Monthly Oil Market report for August said the country's Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) was almost unchanged in July, standing at 56, following 56.9 in June and compared to...

Abu Dhabi, UAE - A record 2.4 million tourists visited the UAE during the first six months of 2023, a report by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said. Also, the numbers marked an increase of around 34 percent compared to the same period during last year....

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Looking to boost leisure, business and religious travel to the kingdom, Saudi Arabia will grant visitor e-visa to travelers from eight newly-eligible countries: Albania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Nationals of these countries can apply for a Saudi visitor visa ahead of their...

"The economies of Iran and Pakistan are inherently complementary. For example, Pakistan can be a supplier of Iran's needs in the agricultural sector, and Iran can cover Pakistan's need for energy. The total bilateral trade between Iran and Pakistan has been going up in recent years and reached more than...

Amman, Jordan-- Jordan and Cyprus are looking to boost cooperation in energy, trade, industry and tourism sectors in order to deepen the overall partnership between the two countries. In this regard, King Abdullah and Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides met on Tuesday at Al Husseiniya Palace, and discussed enhancing cooperation in...

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - The Ministry of Investment organized here the Brazilian-Saudi Investment Forum, which saw the signing of many memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in various fields. The 25 MoUs covered petrochemicals, healthcare, defense, food, real estate, tourism, water desalination and treatment, and agriculture. Attending the Forum on Monday were...

Dubai, UAE--The UAE's real estate market has recorded a strong performance across all sectors in the first half of the year as non-oil economy witnesses strong growth in spite of global macroeconomic headwinds. According to a market report by CBRE, rental performance in Abu Dhabi’s occupier market showed substantial improvement...

Firm Saudi Tourism Investment Company has been set up.

In Spain, the thermometer has shot 15 degrees above normal summer season levels. Italy has also laboured under heatwaves with the island of Sardinia melting under 48 Celsius while, on Monday, Tunis endured 49C. Tourism plays a key role in the region's economies -- the sector accounts for nearly a...

“Our cooperation with Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) is part of these efforts as Japanese experience and progress reflect role of competent talent in the scientific and technological fields, and the effectiveness of its human capital development programmes,” he adds.

In just few years, Saudi Arabia has leapt up the global rankings to become a leading destination for international tourists, with rapid growth transforming its tourism sector.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and Bahamas have signed a $10 million agreement to build state-of-the-art business incubation centers across three idyllic islands in the Bahamas. With the primary aim of bolstering the tourism industry, these centers will serve as nurturing hubs for new business...

Fueling this ambition is an intricate web of travel companies, including tour operators, airlines, accommodation providers, cruise lines, and destination management companies. These firms are crucial cogs in the grand tourism machine, each contributing in unique ways towards marketing Saudi tourism and wooing tourists.

Malaysia's Bukit Bintang district offers a delightful fusion of Middle Eastern cuisine and bustling tourist attractions to charm Arab travelers.

Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani praised Turkey's efforts to improve the country's financial situation and reduce inflation rates through a comprehensive monetary policy. Erdogan recognized Qatar's inherent economic potential and its balanced growth rates, saying it was one of the most robust economies in the region.

Avoided by western tourists, Iran is turning to wealthy Arab states and other nearby countries to bolster its sanctions-hit economy. It is also drawing visitors from Russia and China. Owing to the thaw in relations with Saudi Arabia, Iran is now interested in closer ties with the Arab world.

Japan's exports to the Gulf countries include automobiles, machinery, iron and steel, electrical machinery, rubber, textiles, visual goods, and foodstuffs.

"In education, Japan is working to promote study exchanges and internships for Emirati students and young professionals. Japan continues to support Japanese language education in the UAE, where interest in Japanese culture and language is strong," Kishida adds whille highlighting that the two countries marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic...

VR and AR technologies offer tourists pre-visit virtual explorations of cultural and natural sites, driving engagement and anticipation. Onsite, the growing use of digital payment methods such as Apple Pay and UnionPay simplifies transactions, boosting the overall travel experience, they add.

Tehran, Iran-- After years of frosty relations between the two countries, Egypt and Iran are set to restore ties with the visit of Iranian tourists to the North African country. According to the Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ahmed Issa, Iranian tourists will soon travel to the country through...

Saudi Arabia is leveraging digital solutions to streamline travel, link tourists with local enterprises through apps, and enhance experiences via VR, boosting the 'wow' factor with unique projects for global visitors.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has issued the ADGM Hotel and Tourism Regulations 2023 (Tourism Regulations), under which the Market will adopt the Abu Dhabi onshore tourism legislation into its legislative framework. The onshore tourism legislation includes the regulations and rules concerning hotels and tourism sectors...

Tehran, Iran--Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has claimed that health tourism in the country has attracted patients from neighboring countries and even Central Asian states who prefer to get medical care in Iran rather than in Europe. Raisi made the remarks on Friday as he inaugurated Ghadir Major Hospital in the...

The contracts are valid for 20 years, said Saudi Catering.

New tourism framework has been enacted, refining regulations and systems to lure investors, boost competitiveness, and elevate service quality in the sector across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is investing $500 billion in NEOM, a future city in the northwest, expected to be a hotspot for tourism, tech, and innovation. It is also transforming the UNESCO heritage site, AlUla, into a key tourist attraction.

Yerevan, Armenia – Non-oil trade volume between the UAE and Armenia reached $1.53 billion in 2022, with a growth rate of 673 percent compared to 2021, the UAE news agency Wam reported on Friday.  The total UAE non-oil exports to Armenia amounted to almost $229 million in 2022, with a...

NEW DELHI, INDIA - UAE Minister of Economy and Head of the Emirates Tourism Council Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri met separately with the ministers of India, UK, Indonesia and Japan on the G20 Tourism Ministers' Meeting in Goa. Bin Touq met with Sandiaga Uno, Minister of Tourism and Creative...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Saudi Arabia vaults to the 13th position on the air connectivity index of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2023, up from the 27th position in 2019. In the ranking that includes over 200 countries, the Kingdom achieved a record rise by 14 places. It achieved...

"The Kingdom will invest more than $800 billion during the next 10 years", added the minister, noting that tourists may acquire Saudi tourist visas electronically. He underlined the nation's commitment to bolstering its travel and tourism industry while attending a session of the 10th Arab-China Business Conference.

Investment agreements between the two sides covered diverse sectors such as technology, renewables, agriculture, real estate, minerals, supply chains, tourism, and healthcare.

Dubai, UAE - After welcoming 14.36 million visitors in 2022, a 97 percent Year-over-Year (Y0Y) growth when compared to 7.28 million tourist arrivals in 2021, the emirate looks forward to receiving 18 million tourists this year. The city alone welcomed six million tourists in the first four months of this...

Sharjah, UAE-- Sharjah and Uzbekistan are looking to ramp up cooperation in trade and pour investments in sectors such as education, research and tourism. In this regard, the Department of Government Relations (DGR) in Sharjah hosted a high-level meeting with leading diplomats from the Republic of Uzbekistan recently to explore...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Saudi Arabia and Oman have launched a joint tourist visa to boost trade and investment cooperation in tourism-related projects. The unified tourist visa between the two countries was one of the several initiatives agreed upon at a high-level meeting held between officials of the two countries.  The new...

Israel participated in the event last year, however only as international military observers, without soldiers taking part on the ground. Morocco and Israel have been working to boost cooperation in the military, security, trade and tourism fields since they normalized ties in December 2020.

The plan will boost Abu Dhabi's tourism market.

Tourism and Finance were the next flourishing sectors named in the poll in which the majority of the respondents were in the 20-29 age group and mostly from Egypt.

Dubai, UAE - Dubai has scrapped the 10-day grace period for visitors whose tourist visas have expired, Arabian Business reported on Friday.  Previously, individuals who overstayed their visas were allowed an additional 10 days in Dubai before facing penalties. However, Dubai has now followed other emirates in removing this grace...

Dubai, UAE-- Some 27 million taxi rides were undertaken in Dubai in the first three months of 2023, up one million from the same period last year. According to the Roads and Transport Authority, the latest figures underscored the sector's “remarkable growth” over the past five years. The increase in...

Dubai, UAE - Dubai on Monday launched a new QR Code initiative for holiday homes, as part of efforts to improve transparency and increase confidence among investors and visitors in the short-term rental market. Launched as part of Dubai's commitment to supporting the continuous growth of the hospitality industry, the...

AJMAN, UAE -   Chairman of the Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Abdullah Al Muwaiji discussed trade and investment opportunities with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the UAE Antoine Delcourt and his delegation. The meeting, held at the Ajman Chamber's headquarters, was attended by Mohamed Ali Al...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with an affiliate of Hyatt Hotels Corporation to establish luxury hotels across the kingdom. The collaboration aims to develop several hospitality-led destinations which will enhance the tourism sector in the country....

The Emirates' non-oil sector is projected to grow by 4.8 percent, driven by robust domestic demand, particularly in tourism, real estate, construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors, the bank's officials said.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Nearly SAR 133.3 billion ($35.54 billion) were spent in the first nine months of 2022 by about 73 million tourists -- both domestic and inbound -- who visited Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism defines a tourist as every visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) with...

The kingdom received about 7.8 million international tourists for all purposes during the first quarter of 2023, representing its highest quarterly performance.