Saudi Arabia's hotel market lost momentum in the first half of the year as corporate travel slowed and regional uncertainty dampened demand, but industry fundamentals remain intact, backed by higher domestic tourism spend and an expanding pipeline of hotel projects, an industry expert said.
The Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media is conducting a promotional roadshow in India from August 30 to September 4, visiting Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad as part of efforts to strengthen the emirate’s position in key international tourism markets.
Oman’s Al Jabal Al Akhdar Festival 2026 attracted more than 300,000 visitors over 45 days, boosting tourism in A’Dakhiliyah Governorate through cultural, adventure and family experiences showcasing the destination’s natural and tourism appeal.
Aseer Governor Prince Turki bin Talal laid the foundation stone for the “Westin Abha” project, spanning more than 153,000 square metres and featuring 330 hotel units, 52 villas and chalets, and 78 residential units, in a bid to strengthen the region’s tourism sector.
GCC tourism generated $254.7 billion in economic contribution in 2025, attracting 75.7 million visitors and $131.9 billion in inbound spending, as sector growth reached 7.3%, surpassing the global rate of 6.7%, according to the GCC Statistical Centre.
Expo 2030 Riyadh and Atout France, France’s national tourism development agency, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen strategic cooperation, technical support and knowledge exchange ahead of the World Expo in Riyadh.
The Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB), alongside four local tourism industry partners, showcased the country’s tourism offerings at PATA Travel Mart (PTM) 2026 in Kuching, Malaysia, strengthening Azerbaijan’s engagement with international travel markets.
PATA Travel Mart 2026 (PTM 2026) has opened in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, bringing together more than 1,100 tourism delegates from 48 countries and destinations for one of Asia Pacific’s leading international business-to-business travel trade events.
The BRICS tourism ministers have adopted the Jaipur Declaration by consensus at the ministerial meeting held under India’s 2026 Chairmanship setting AI and Tourism, sustainability, tourism skilling and seamless travel as its top priorities.
Saudi travellers are broadening their summer travel choices, with a cluster of secondary cities recording sharp increases in searches for round-trip flights, according to the latest data from Wego, a major travel app and online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
