King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah Airport) recorded a new historic milestone, reaching 50 million passengers in 2025, marking the highest number ever recorded by a Saudi airport since the launch of civil aviation in the Kingdom, and placing it among the world's mega airports in terms of passenger numbers.
The UAE is witnessing the launch of the winter tourism season with growing momentum, underscoring its status as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations during the winter months. This comes amid milder temperatures and a rich diversity of experiences offered across the country’s emirates to visitors and residents alike.
Saudi-based Taiba Investments has announced that one of its key subsidiaries, Smart Hotel Zone Company, had signed up Al Saad Contracting Company for the construction of a 159-key hotel project within the STC Square mixed-use development in Riyadh.
The Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia honoured Vatel Bahrain during the graduation ceremony of the Apprenticeship and Secondment Programme held in Riyadh. The recognition reflects the College’s contributions to supporting the programme and advancing the development of Saudi talent in the tourism, hospitality and hotel sectors.
UN Tourism and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB) have agreed to work together to increase access to tourism education at high school level. A new Memorandum of Understanding will see the two organizations work together on a series of initiatives aimed at increasing the provision and quality of tourism education in schools globally.
Berlin’s tourism sector declined in 2025, becoming Germany’s only major city to record a year-on-year drop. Visitor numbers fell 3.5%, with overnight stays down to 13.9 million in H1, and full-year totals expected just below 30 million.
Hail Region’s strategic location, diverse terrain, and mild climate are driving rapid tourism growth. Over three million visitors arrived in H1 2025, supported by heritage sites, festivals, and SAR179 million ($4.7 million) in investments across rural and hospitality projects.
Etihad Airways welcomed 2.1 million passengers in November 2025, achieving a 28% year-on-year increase, marking a new peak in the airline's traffic for 2025. The airline maintained strong operational efficiency with passenger load factor 89% for the month. During November, Etihad continued to expand its network with the launch of new services to Tunis, Hanoi, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong and Medina.
flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, celebrated the launch of its inaugural service to Vilnius, marking the start of direct flights between Dubai and the capital of Lithuania. The route will operate three times per week, providing seamless links to Dubai’s global aviation hub.
Kobe Tourism Bureau (KTB), supported by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Dubai Office, hosted a luncheon for leading media and content creators at TOMO Dubai to showcase Kobe’s distinctive tourism appeal.
