Madrid, Spain - The number of destinations offering Digital Nomad Visas (DNVs) has risen significantly over recent years, with almost half now offering visas for at least one year. According to a new analysis by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) covering 54 destinations, the rise in DNVs has gone...

Bahrain's expulsion of Israel's ambassador and halted trade may foreshadow a broader economic realignment in the Middle East, threatening key regional trade pacts.

Dubai's transformation from a humble fishing village to a global tourist powerhouse is nothing short of remarkable. Just decades ago, it was a budding coastal town with limited allure. However, the discovery of oil in the 1960s ignited a metamorphosis, with the government astutely channeling wealth into infrastructure, iconic landmarks,...

Israeli strikes have now killed more than 6,500 people in Gaza, a rise of over 700 since Tuesday, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. One doctor said he was forced to perform emergency surgery on the wounded without anesthetic. Israel has cut off impoverished Gaza's usual water, food and other supplies,...

From the metaverse allowing virtual experiences to the use of AI in training, Jamaica is at the forefront of integrating technology into its tourism sector, the minister tells TRENDS.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – A total of 52 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed at the Saudi-Korean Investment Forum here. The MoUs were signed by both government and private entities. Government agencies signed four MoUs with the private sector in areas such as real estate development, automotive, and water. President...

Dubai, UAE -- Emaar, The Economic City, the master-developer of King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), has signed a strategic agreement with Orascom Development and Managment and Alkholi Holding Company to develop a waterfront mix-use destination in KAEC. This initiative aims to enhance the city's position as a family gateway to...

Dubai, UAE -- The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Microsoft have signed an MoU that enables innovation in key areas such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing and brings together both organizations’ capabilities and resources to enhance the tourist and cultural...

As Riyadh vies to host 2030 World Expo, the city offers a perfect blend of historical charm and modernity, spotlighting its rich heritage, architecture and cuisine.

In its bid to boost tourism, the Saudi capital blends historical charm with modernity, spotlighting its rich heritage, architecture, cuisine, and transportation evolution.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-- Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday that it will grant e-visa to visitors from six new countries -- Turkiye, Thailand, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles and Mauritius -- for leisure, business and religious (Umrah only) travel, bringing the total number of such countries to 63. A visitor e-visa...

Vienna, Austria--The UAE’s economy remains robust, with constant contributions from the non-oil sector, especially from tourism, leisure, and real estate, according to the OPEC’s Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) for October 2023. MOMR noted the UAE’s tourism sector, which accounts for more than 16% of the country’s GDP, continued to...

TABUK, SAUDI ARABIA - Red Sea Global (RSG), the multi-project developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations - The Red Sea and Amaala - celebrated the take-off of its first seaplane flight operated by its subsidiary company, Fly Red Sea. Established as the first seaplane company in Saudi...

Sochi, Russia -.Starting in 2024, travelers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Malaysia  and Bahrain may no longer need tourist visas to visit Russia,  Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dmitry Vakhrukov said on the sidelines of the FTT-2023 Forum of Tourism Territories, Tass reported. "I reckon this could happen next year....

Dubai's iconic skyline and architectural marvels have garnered global attention, offering stunning views for visitors and residents alike. This allure has attracted many to work, live, and invest in the emirate, solidifying Dubai's reputation as a thriving, futuristic metropolis where visionary projects come to life.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Oxford Economics, an independent economic advisory firm, has predicted that the UAE economy will grow by 4.4 percent in 2024, driven by, among other things, government initiatives to support economic diversification. Scott Livermore, Chief Economist, Oxford Economics Middle East, and Managing Director, told WAM that the...

"Qatar Tourism takes pride in organizing and hosting successful exhibitions across diverse sectors. These events underscore Qatar's capacity to harness its state-of-the-art infrastructure, fostering a secure, efficient, and vibrant community while delivering a captivating experience for travelers," he adds.

Despite many cultural treasures, there were only 32,535 hotel guests in the Jericho area in the first half of this year.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – A senior Russian official said that they intend to move towards visa-free travel with all countries of Latin America. Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Latin American Department Alexander Shchetinin said that this is an achievable goal. Shchetinin told TASS about the to move towards visa-free travel...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--Iran has proposed to Saudi Arabia to set up a working group to look into the idea of cancelling visas between the two countries. In this regard, the Iranian deputy tourism minister traveled to Saudi Arabia to proposed the to Saudi Arabia the idea of visa cancellation. A...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has announced its intention to revise its tourism goals, increasing the target number of visitors from the previous 100 million by 2030 to a new goal of 150 million, Mahmoud Abdulhadi, the Deputy Minister of Destination Enablement at the Ministry of Tourism, said  during...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – China on Tuesday granted Approved Destination Status (ADS) to the Gulf Kingdom. The bilateral agreement, signed on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia allows Chinese citizens to travel to the Kingdom in group tours in addition to facilitating greater ease of access. ADS...

S&P analysts anticipate continued growth within the UAE's robust tourism sector. The country's ability to host major international events is expected to play a pivotal role in achieving the UAE's ambitious goal of attracting 40 million visitors by 2030, accompanied by plans to expand the number of hotel rooms to...

Israel's Tourism Minister Haim Katz is the first Israeli minister to head an official delegation in Saudi Arabia, where he would attend a United Nations World Tourism Organization event in Riyadh.

Under the deal, two luxury hotels will be built in Trojena.

Malaysia is attracting Arab students and travelers with its top-notch education facilities, affordable living, and a reputation as a leading Muslim travel destination.

Around 310,000 people have crossed from Sudan into Egypt since war broke out on April 15 between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The response to the influx of Sudanese refugees has been mixed....

In recent years, the Middle East and China have fortified economic ties, with the former supplying half of latter's oil and sealing a landmark 27-year LNG deal with Qatar.

Tehran, Iran -- Russia’s largest lender, SBERBANK, is presenting a new service that allows its clients to transfer money to Iran. The service is available to both individuals and businesses using their Sber accounts, Tasnim reported. “The money transfer service to Iran is new to us and the demand for...

Doha, Qatar -- More than 2.56 million people visited Qatar from January to August 25, which is more than the full-year arrivals in 2022 and marking a 157 percent increase over the same period last year, according to Qatar Tourism. Qatar Tourism said in statement that the latest achievement bears...

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.