The UAE’s hospitality sector ended 2025 on a high note delivering outstanding results, buoyed by strong tourism inflows across all major markets, said an industry expert. Dubai welcomed 17.5 million international visitors in the first 11 months, while Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah also recorded year‑on‑year growth in visitation.
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has appointed leading hospitality and entertainment group 7 Management to operate The Plaza at Uptown Dubai – the newest destination for large-scale events, culture and live entertainment spanning over 21,000 sq m in the city.
The inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh, which will take place from September 8 to 10 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Center (RFECC), will focus on the large-scale hotel development, and the increasing influence of Saudi travellers at home and abroad.
Dr Amna Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Agriculture Centre, has launched the Sustainable Product initiative, aimed at increasing the share of locally sourced agricultural and animal products used across the UAE’s restaurant and hotel sector to 25 per cent.
HORECA Riyadh, Salon du Chocolat et de la Pâtisserie Riyadh, Saudi Elite Chefs and Host Arabia will unite from December 15–17, 2025 to create the kingdom’s largest hospitality and foodservice week, hosting 50,000 professionals and 500 exhibitors.
Vatel Bahrain, a specialist in business management within the hospitality and tourism sectors, has signed an agreement with Crowne Plaza Bahrain to help broaden their collaboration across multiple areas and provide quality training for its students at the group’s five-star hotels.
A new PwC Middle East report, ' AI at the heart of tourism and hospitality: powering personalisation, efficiency and growth', reveals that while 91% of regional industry leaders are already piloting or using AI technologies, only 3% have achieved full-scale implementation.
The UAE's hospitality sector continued its strong upward trajectory in the first nine months of 2025, with hotels welcoming 23.27 million guests – up 4.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024 - resulting in more than 79.3 million hotel room nights booked, said Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.
Dusit Thani College (DTC), Thailand’s institute dedicated to hospitality education and training under Dusit International, has taken a step in advancing its global expansion by partnering with Alkhaleej Training and Education, an education provider in Saudi Arabia, to bring DTC’s fast-track Talent Opportunity Programme (TOP) to the Kingdom as its first global licence partner, opening the door to further international expansion.
From December 15 to 17, 2025, Host Arabia will take shape: an event organised by Fiera Milano in partnership with Semark, which will bring the Host Milano ecosystem — a leading exhibition for professional hospitality – to Riyadh, in a format designed to connect Italian and global players with buyers and stakeholders from across the region.
