The Maldives has emerged as the leading destination for UAE travellers this summer, accounting for one in five international hotel bookings, according to dnata Travel’s latest data. Thailand, Mauritius, Canada and Australia complete the top five most-booked destinations.
UN Tourism and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) report finds women are severely underrepresented in tourism transport, especially in technical and leadership roles. It highlights major barriers including safety, legal gaps, and limited career access, and outlines a three-year action plan to improve gender equality.
RateHawk and PhocusWright report outlines 10 trends shaping travel distribution by 2036, highlighting AI, personalised demand, digital influence, market volatility, and stronger tech systems driving industry transformation and operational efficiency.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Airlines Technical Pool (IATP) have agreed to cooperate in helping airlines to improve their visibility of, and access to, aircraft parts.
Wego, the Middle East and North Africa’s online travel marketplace, has partnered with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to increase awareness of Hong Kong among MENA travellers through a year-round destination campaign.
Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, has launched its fourth destination with the inaugural flight connecting Riyadh and Cairo, marking another milestone in the airline’s expansion strategy.
Dammam Airports has achieved international recognition after its asset management and institutional excellence project was named among the top five global projects in the Digital Transformation Project of the Year category at the 2026 Digital Revolution Awards in London.
Foreign tourist spending in South Korea hit a record 1.41 trillion won (around $911 million) in May, rising 73.7% year-on-year, according to the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO).
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) received 2,155 passenger complaints against national airlines in May, with Saudia recording the lowest complaint rate at 43 complaints per 100,000 passengers and an 81% complaint resolution rate.
The Tourism Development Fund (TDF) has completed the first edition of its Grow Tourism Incubator, supporting 30 Saudi startups over 10 months. Delivered with Almosafer, the programme provided business development sessions and service grants to participating companies.
