Navigating the Middle East’s skies with Kashif Khalid
We caught up with Kashif Khalid, IATA’s regional director for the Middle East and Africa, to discuss everything related to travel.
A bright new era for regional tourism
The Middle East’s hospitality sector is currently witnessing a remarkable upsurge, with significant growth and extensive development under way in travel, tourism and hotel construction. This expansion has been propelled by several factors, including ambitious infrastructure projects, strategic investments and a sharpened focus among key players on developing the sector.
Official launching of Lebanon’s culinary nation branding promotional campaign to support Agrifood Export
During a press conference on June 15 at the Smallville hotel, the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade and Fair-Trade Lebanon, in partnership with the Department of States’ Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and under the auspice of BIEEL project announced the launching of Lebanon’s culinary nation branding promotional campaign aimed to support Lebanese agrifood exports.
Oman: a unique gem in the GCC
Justin Kenny, consultant at Colliers for the Hotels MENA Region, explains how the sultanate is carving its own identity as an attractive destination with a diverse offering, despite tough competition from its neighbors.
AZULIK AlUla Resort set to open in KSA by 2027
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) will develop a new resort within the Journey Through Time (JTT) masterplan, designed in harmony with the natural environment and aligned with the Sustainability Charter for AlUla, Saudi Green Initiative, and Vision 2030.
Sustainability defines Middle East’s luxury travel sector
Sustainability is becoming an important consideration within the Middle East’s luxury travel sector, especially in the UAE, where 61 percent of residents are willing to pay a premium for more responsible, eco-friendly and sustainable tourism experiences.
Saudi Arabia unveils its USD 1.5bn railway project
Webuild has signed a contract worth USD 1.5 billion to design and construct 57 km of a high-speed railway in NEOM, along the northern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s positive investment market outlook
The ambitious goals outlined in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy are supported by more than USD 1 trillion worth of real estate and infrastructural developments, including 315,000 hotel keys. In the next four to five years, the number of hotel keys is likely to almost double to around 200,000, with at least half of the proposed supply becoming operational by 2028 and some existing properties leaving the market to make room for new, more desirable and competitive hotels and resorts.
Shaping the future of travel with data and behavioral science
Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont, managing director of Amadeus Gulf, knows a thing or two about global trends and how to leverage them for growth in an ever-changing industry. Here, he unlocks the ways data and behavioral are going to impact the future of travel.
Jordan’s soaring tourism sector
Jordan has become a popular travel destination in the Middle East. It was ranked the sixth Arab country in the 2022 Travel and Tourism Development Index and listed within the top 10 tourist destinations in 2023 by the US Tour Operator Association. Maria Quintero, HVS’ associate – consulting and valuation, provides insights into Jordan’s success and the factors that make it an appealing choice for travelers worldwide.