As tourism booms across the Middle East and Africa, travel brands face fierce competition. Success now means using data-driven, personalized marketing to reach high-intent, mobile-first travelers at every stage—before, during, and after their journeys.

Dubai, UAE – The Middle East’s tourism sector is poised for unprecedented expansion, with a new report predicting a 50 percent surge in travel spending by 2030, reaching nearly $350 billion. The ATM Travel Trends Report 2025, compiled by Tourism Economics for Arabian Travel Market (ATM), highlights the region’s rapid...

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, has officially unveiled TOURISE, a groundbreaking global platform set to transform the future of the tourism industry. The inaugural TOURISE 2025 event will take place in Riyadh from November 11-13, bringing together public and private sector leaders, experts, and...

Executive Director Mohamed Al Rais unveils a tech-human hybrid approach to personalize travel experiences — and announces a strategic India office to tap into Dubai’s largest source market.

For travel and tourism companies based out of the Middle East, utilizing technology to optimize the content creation process, and enabling content editing for Arabic language is crucial. This empowers them to target their core segment and showcase their fluent communication to specific micro markets, leading to better dividends.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates -- The United Arab Emirates will lift a ban on its citizens travelling to Lebanon that was imposed during a diplomatic row in 2021, according to a joint statement on Thursday. The decision was announced a day after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with his UAE...

The GCC’s luxury hospitality sector has become a global benchmark, yet behind every polished facade lies an increasingly complex financial reality. Costs are rising, investor expectations are shifting, and technological disruption continues to redefine both guest expectations and operational models. At the heart of this transformation is a simple but...

Muscat, Oman -- Travel and tourism sector's contribution to the Gulf's GDP by the end of 2024 reached approximately 11.4 percent, with a value of $247.1 billion. The latest data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) indicated that the growth rate...

To realize its vision for “smart tourism”, Singapore Tourism Board is leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, data analytics, and augmented reality to enhance visitor experiences.

The framework for future-proofing tourism revolves around three core pillars: People, Planet, and Purpose. This vision is particularly evident in the GCC, where a people-first transformation is taking place.

Visit Saudi, experience the warmth, generosity and hospitality of the people, Jerry Inzerillo tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai International Airport (DXB) is on track to welcome 4.3 million guests in the first 15 days of the year, setting the stage for its busiest January yet. Daily traffic is projected to peak on 3rd January, with over 311,000 guests expected.With an average of 287,000 guests...

WTTC research shows that, having endured estimated losses of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs in 2020 alone, travel and tourism has recovered and is set to reach new heights. The travel sector is expected to continue to grow, creating over 100 million new jobs, adds the author.

Geneva, Switzerland -- Air passenger numbers are forecast to top five billion for the first time next year and the sector's revenues will break the trillion-dollar barrier, the global aviation body IATA said Tuesday."Passenger numbers are expected to reach 5.2 billion in 2025, a 6.7 percent rise compared to 2024 and...

The global tourism industry has turned the clock back to 2019 before COVID created a massive hole in worldwide passenger travel, mostly born out of health safety concerns. In 2023, UN Tourism tracked 1.3 billion global arrivals, up from 975 million a year earlier, near 2019 figures of 1.475 billion.

The record profit is subject to new 9% corporate tax for the first time.

The rapid, ongoing expansion of global tourism has brought with it opportunities for communities around the world to share cultures and knowledge. This growth brings new and diversified economic prospects while supporting efforts to preserve local cultures, and protect the environment. However, traditional tourism models often prioritize maximizing short-term economic...

Boeing, the beleaguered aviation giant announces what is expected to be its biggest quarterly loss in four years, and striking employees vote on whether to end a costly weeks-long stoppage.

Twice a month, TRENDS MENA's Opinion Hub will deliver exclusive insights from top travel, tourism, aviation, and hospitality leaders in the Middle East and Africa.

Major airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Air France have suspended growing numbers of flights to Lebanon as tensions rise between the powerful militant group Hezbollah and Israel.

Veendam, Netherlands -- The dream of hurtling between European cities at speeds of more than 700 kilometers per hour moved a step closer Monday with the first successful vehicle tests at the European Hyperloop Centre.Hovering inside a sleek 420-meter (1,377-foot) white tunnel, a dark and light grey striped pod levitates at...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- UAE national carriers continued to expand their destinations for passengers, supported by the UAE's leading position as a preferred global destination for tourism and business, as well as the recovery in travel demand.National carriers are expected to continue to fly to new heights of growth in...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Miral will host Loop CEE, a luxury travel fair, for the first time in the Middle East. Titled “Loop Beyond Borders”, the event will be held from 15th-17th September 2024 at Saadiyat Rotana...

Dubai, UAE -- The Mastercard Economics Institute has revealed in its latest Travel Trends 2024 report a major shift in the travel industry this year, characterized by a significant increase in travel spending and strong growth in traveler traffic.This latest global report provides comprehensive insights into the evolving landscape of the travel...

The International Air Transport Association on Tuesday urged Pakistan and Bangladesh to remove barriers to airlines repatriating ticket revenues after Nigeria released the vast majority of blocked funds.Pakistan and Bangladesh collectively owe $731 million out of a global total of $1.8 billion in blocked airline funds, according to the world...

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the only high-income economies to rank among the top 10 most improved economies between 2019 and 2024, a WEF report says.

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Miral Destinations, a subsidiary of Miral and promotional partner for Yas Island and Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi, is set to showcase its latest offerings and attractions and unveil Saadiyat Island’s forthcoming ‘Elevate Your Senses’ campaign at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024.Scheduled to take place from...

Geneva, Switzerland -- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2024 global passenger demand, with total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs), rising 21.5 percent year-on-year (YoY).Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), grew 18.7 percent YoY. The February load factor was 80.6 percent (+1.9ppt...

Emirate's new tourism strategy aims to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP from $13.34 billion in 2023 to $24 billion by 2030.

Flights to Al Jouf Airport and Red Sea Airport to start from April 18.

Dubai, UAE -- UAE carrier Emirates defended its title as the fourth most valuable airline brand, with a staggering 30 percent increase in brand value, reaching $6.6 billion, according to Brand Finance, a brand valuation consultancy.With global travel recovering after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, airline brands in the Middle East have seen...

Dubai, UAE-- Outbound travel from China is estimated to almost double this year, compared with 2023 and will only be 22% below its peak pre-pandemic numbers of 155 million tourists in 2019, who spent over $250 billion overseas, according to Oxford EconomicsFull recovery is expected to materialise in 2025, with...

Dubai, UAE -- Atlantis Dubai becomes the first resort destination in the Eastern Hemisphere to gain the Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation by both Atlantis, The Palm and Atlantis The Royal, following the successful certification of Atlantis Aquaventure in 2023.The CAC designation, awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and...

Dubai, UAE -- More than 100 of the world’s leading travel technology companies will be exhibiting at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) in the UAE from May 6-9.ATM 2024’s sold-out Travel Tech space will be 56 percent bigger than last...

Moscow, Russia -- Russia is working to establish a visa-free regime with all Gulf countries, said Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister and special presidential representative for the Middle East and African countries."In principle, such work is going on systematically. Because, of course, I think it is in the interests...

Dubai, UAE -- Dubai hotels achieved a 3.4 percent year-on-year growth in occupancy levels, reaching 90.8 percent, according to preliminary data for February released by CoStar, a provider of global real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces.Other key metrics also showed positive growth, with the average daily rate (ADR) increasing...

Sharjah, UAE-- Nearly 400,000 visitors from Europe have traveled to Sharjah during last year, marking a notable 28 percent increase compared to the previous year, with Europeans constituting 27 percent of the total visitor count.Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) made the announcement during its press conference on Wednesday...

Abu Dhabi, UAE -- Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said Thursday that the UAE's airports surpassed 134 million passenger mark in 2023 and are projected to reach 140 million by 2024.He attributed this achievement to the robustness and competitiveness of the UAE aviation...

The Kingdom drew praise for this achievement from UN Tourism and the World Travel & Tourism Council. Motivated by this success, the country has now set a new ambitious target of 150 million tourists by 2030.

Dubai, UAE -- In 2023, Dubai Customs managed 46.87 million bags from 206,396 flights, averaging 128,400 bags daily and played a role in the reception of a record-breaking 17.15 million international visitors. The Passenger Operations Department has over 845 inspection officers supported by 77 baggage inspection devices. Ibrahim Al Kamali,...

IATA’s Director-General Willie Walsh said that international travel is 5.5% below pre-pandemic levels, but that gap is narrowing fast. "And domestic markets have been above their pre-pandemic levels continuously since April." According to Walsh, international travel is moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year.

Manama, Bahrain--The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BETA) began a roadshow in Shanghai and Guangzhou, China, involving prominent travel, tourism, aviation, and hotel sectors. The roadshow aims to promote Bahrain as a prominent tourist destination in regional and global markets, enhancing the sector's contribution to the gross domestic product in line...

Muscat, Oman - Oman's achieved a 15.4% year-on-year sector growth, as reported by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The growth revolves around a rapidly evolving landscape, propelled by strategic investments and diversification endeavors.Maritime freight was at the forefront, commanding a significant 54.8 percent share of all inbound...

Dubai, UAE -- The current production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) represents less than 1 percent of the sector's demand, despite the production and usage accelerating threefold in 2023 compared to the previous year. This has led to significant investments in the field, with airlines committing to purchasing available quantities...

The upcoming summit is being organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a 57-member bloc of majority Muslim countries. It will be Raisi's first visit to the kingdom since the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations after seven years of estrangement, a deal brokered by China in March.

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 is...

The company’s revenues rose 11 percent to $15.5 billion.

Air France-KLM will buy 19.9% shares of SAS.

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 on the...

The airline's annual profit climbs up to US$1.1 billion.