All published updates

Hilton Opens and Renovates Worldwide This Season: From Kaua'i to Kuala Lumpur

Hilton has announced its seasonal global openings and renovations, spanning multiple brand debuts in new markets: NoMad debuts in Singapore, Waldorf Astoria and Conrad debut in Kuala Lumpur, Curio Collection debuts in Hawai'i, Tapestry Collection enters Baja California, and Curio Collection enters Valencia, Spain. In the U.S., Signia Hilton expands to Naples and Indianapolis, while Apartment Collection by Hilton enters Pittsburgh and Huntsville. Renovations include a $25 million property-wide renovation of Conrad Indianapolis timed to its 20th anniversary. Hilton Honors is running the More Points to Play promotion from Oct. 15 to Dec. 31, 2026.

UK FCDO expands Saudi Arabia travel advisory to Aseer province cities

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its Saudi Arabia travel advice, extending its advice against all but essential travel to include the cities of Abha and Khamis Mushait in Aseer province. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel within 10km of the border with Yemen and against all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from that border. The changes appear in the 'Warnings and insurance' and 'Regional risks' sections.

Impact and considerations

Extending the advisory to two cities in Aseer province means organisations operating or sending staff in southern Saudi Arabia should reassess itineraries and personnel deployment, and check whether insurance and duty-of-care obligations are affected.

China Inbound Tourism Heats Up as Arab Markets Emerge as Growth Driver

The 2026 Arabian Travel Market ran September 14-17 at Dubai World Trade Centre, with China's delegation exhibiting for a third consecutive year under the "Nihao! China" theme and one of the largest booths among Asian countries. China National Immigration Administration data show inbound foreign arrivals rose 20.4% year on year in the first half, while travel services exports grew 31.1%. In full-year 2025, more than 150,000 Gulf Cooperation Council nationals entered China, up 100.78%, with Saudi and UAE nationals up 110% and 113% respectively. The China Cultural Center in the UAE has organized over 60 Chinese tourism companies for matchmaking with regional firms.

Hilton: Saudi Luxury Is Saturated, Now Targeting Mid-Market

Simon Vincent, Hilton's president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said Saudi Arabia's upper-end hotel market is largely established, with Hilton already operating Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, Curio and DoubleTree brands there. The next growth wave will come from mid-market brands and franchising. Vincent cited Turkey as proof: from the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus opening in 1955 to more than 100 hotels in the country today, expansion came mainly through mid-market brands such as Hilton Garden Inn in provincial towns and Hampton in secondary cities.

U.S. State Department Rates Saudi Arabia Level 3: Reconsider Travel

The U.S. Department of State issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Saudi Arabia, recommending reconsidering travel. Reasons include the risk of Iranian drone and missile targeting of American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans, and local laws regarding social media activity. Some areas carry increased risk. As of August 30, 2026, family members may join U.S. government employees; employees may not travel within 20 miles of the Yemen border, non-essential travel to Qatif is restricted, and special authorization is required for Jizan, Asir, Najran, and Qatif provinces. Commercial flights are operational but have been significantly disrupted at times.

Impact and considerations

The advisory directly affects U.S. citizens and corporate travel to Saudi Arabia, especially those near energy infrastructure and military bases. Exit bans and social-media-related laws add compliance risk for business travelers, requiring companies to reassess deployment policies.

VantisCorp Launches White-Label TMC Platform; Booking Loses Etraveli Appeal

VantisCorp launched a white-label corporate travel automation platform for TMCs, unifying hotel and flight booking, approvals, multi-entity compliance workflows, tax-compliant invoicing and payment integration, with contracted clients live in India, the UK and Saudi Arabia. The EU General Court rejected Booking Holdings' appeal against the European Commission's decision to block its €1.6 billion acquisition of Etraveli Group, upholding the EC's finding. Spotnana announced a direct integration with Marriott International covering 10,000+ properties and the industry's first verified Marriott Bonvoy loyalty linking. Laters.com (formerly Fly Fairly) raised a $1.5 million seed round, offering 10…

Saudia Expands Almosafer Partnership with NDC Integration

Saudia has expanded its partnership with Almosafer through NDC connectivity, enabling Almosafer's booking channels and AI tools to offer richer, more personalized Saudia content. The agreement was signed during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, allowing travelers to search and compare flights via natural language and access tailored fares and ancillary services.

Almosafer Activities Integrates with Saudi Tourism Exchange Portal

Almosafer Activities has partnered with the Saudi Tourism Authority to integrate its content with the Saudi Partner Tourism Exchange Portal. The API integration will enable distribution of activities and experiences through the B2B platform to a global partner network, including consumer platforms like Visit Saudi, supporting Saudi Vision 2030's target of 150 million annual visitors.

Holiday Inn in Saudi Arabia Launches Gaming Pods for Guests

IHG's Holiday Inn brand partnered with global educational esports provider EStars to launch Holiday Inn x Elite Gaming Pods across four hotels in Saudi Arabia, available until December 2026. Each hotel has two gaming pods with MSI gaming PCs, next-generation consoles, curved monitors and premium accessories, with complimentary access to titles including Fortnite, Rocket League and Overwatch. Participating hotels will host competitions with prizes including hotel stays, food and beverage vouchers and IHG One Rewards points. The initiative launched during the Esports World Cup 2026.

Almosafer Report: Saudi Travellers Resilient as Flexibility and AI Reshape Booking

Almosafer's 2026 report reveals domestic travel at 46% of bookings, Red Sea room nights up 4,000%+, wider international destinations, growing AI-assisted booking, and protection product purchases up 165%.

Flyadeal CEO Reveals Plans for Premium Economy and Long-Haul Network

Flyadeal's acting CEO Sanjiv Kapoor said the budget carrier will introduce connecting flights on its existing point-to-point network, offering origin-destination fares and seamless connections. The fleet will take delivery of Airbus A321neos in the second half of next year and A330neo widebodies in Q4 2027. The move aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Saudi Tourism Names New CEO Amid Vision 2030 Spending Cuts

Saudi Arabia's Tourism Authority has appointed Ageel Alshaibani as CEO, succeeding Fahd Hamidaddin who left in May. Alshaibani, a former deputy tourism minister and ex-McKinsey executive, inherits the goal of attracting 150 million annual visitors by 2030. However, the Public Investment Fund is pivoting toward AI infrastructure, scaling back giga-projects like Neom (The Line reduced to 2.4km), postponing the 2029 Asian Winter Games, and ending LIV Golf funding after 2026.

Almosafer Partners with SAP and AWS to Accelerate Digital Transformation

Almosafer, Saudi Arabia's leading travel company, announces plans to migrate its ERP to RISE with SAP on AWS cloud, to support operational scale and long-term tourism growth aligned with Vision 2030. The move will enhance data unification, AI capabilities, and operational agility.

Cheval Rides Out Dubai Demand Slump with Long-Stay Focus

UK-based luxury hospitality firm Cheval Collection aims to double its global portfolio from 16 projects, with the Middle East as a key growth driver. It operates serviced apartments and branded residences, with properties in Dubai and expansion into Saudi Arabia. Despite Dubai's demand slump, Cheval believes its mixed short/long-stay model reduces reliance on international arrivals, but analysts caution that serviced apartments still absorb shocks, and S&P expects occupancy recovery only after 2027.

UK Airport Record Masks Sharp Drop in Gulf Traffic

UK airports set a record for Q2 passenger numbers, handling over 81 million, but growth was nearly flat at 0.15% year-on-year. The Iran war and a UK travel advisory caused a sharp collapse in Gulf traffic: UAE down 42%, Qatar down 45%, Saudi Arabia down 40%, Bahrain down 54%, and Kuwait down 68%, with the five markets losing nearly 1.5 million passengers combined. Emirates' UK passenger numbers fell 46% and Qatar Airways' fell 42%, while Dubai dropped out of the top 10 international destinations to 15th. Low-cost carriers and strong Western European demand offset some of the losses.

Accor and Al Qimmah Expand Partnership with Signing of Novotel Makkah

Accor and Al Qimmah Hospitality signed an agreement for a new 850-key Novotel in Makkah, bringing their partnership to five hotels with over 4,000 keys. The hotel is expected to open in 2030, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 tourism goals. The partnership also includes Saudi talent development through the Tamayyaz program.

Abu Dhabi F1 2026 Confirmed As Tourism Leans On Events

Formula One has confirmed the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will proceed as the season finale, ending months of uncertainty tied to the U.S.-Iran war that had already forced the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (the Bahrain race relocating to Malaysia). F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali stated the calendar remains unchanged. The deferral of the Gulf races carried an estimated commercial travel cost exceeding $200 million according to the WTTC. For Abu Dhabi, the confirmed Grand Prix is a significant tourism and hospitality catalyst: race-week hotel occupancy hit 93% in both 2022 and 2025, but average daily rates soared roughly 80% (from ~$500 to ~$900, versus ~$200 off-peak). Abu Dhabi…

Radisson's Saudi Expansion Reveals a Split Gulf Recovery

Radisson Hotel Group is maintaining its target of 100 hotels in operation and development in Saudi Arabia by 2030, despite disruption from the U.S.-Iran war. Executive Elie Younes cites Saudi Arabia's domestic-driven demand as more resilient than the UAE's international-dependent market, forecasting recovery by June 2026, earlier than external forecasts of 2027. Expansion is shifting to secondary cities and the three- and four-star tier, favoring new builds.

New Long-Haul Routes Testing How Far Demand Stretches

Several airlines are launching new long-haul routes, including United and Air Canada adding seasonal flights to Sapporo, Japan; British Airways and Finnair launching one-stop services to Melbourne via Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok; and Delta opening the first U.S. nonstop from Atlanta to Riyadh. These routes reflect airlines' bets on leisure and emerging market demand, with some travelers routing around Gulf hubs due to Middle East conflict.

Marriott's Luxury Collection Debuts Expedition Series Focused on Cultural Immersion

Marriott International's Luxury Collection launched The Luxury Collection Expeditions, featuring 10 itineraries and experiences including Private Tailored Journeys, Day Discoveries, and Residencies & Collaborations. Led by local experts, these immerse guests in culture, cuisine, and nature. The inaugural collection spans North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, including Japan, Italy, Spain, and more.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt Lead Middle East's Hotel Construction Boom

Despite demand disruption from the U.S.-Iran war, Middle East hotel construction hit a record: 724 projects and 178,003 rooms under construction in Q2, up 11% and 10% year-over-year. Saudi Arabia leads with 387 projects, Egypt has a record 167. Developers bet on structural growth, with major operators concentrating 90% of pipelines in Saudi, Egypt, and Turkey.

Saudi OTA Almosafer on Track for Year-End IPO Despite Iran War Disruption

Almosafer, Saudi Arabia's largest travel company, plans to list on the Tadawul main market by end of 2026 in a secondary offering, with proceeds returning to shareholder Seera Group. Despite the U.S.-Iran war impacting consumer, corporate, and UAE businesses, Almosafer posted record Q2 revenue and EBITDA, driven by hajj and umrah (net booking value up 43%) and surging domestic travel (45.5% of bookings). Corporate travel net booking value fell 25%, described as the war's longest-lasting impact.

Premier Inn Expands in UAE and Saudi Arabia Amid Gulf Slump

Premier Inn's Middle East business has recovered from war impact, with occupancy rising to 78% in July and revenue decline narrowing to 11%. Despite a down year forecast, the brand is accelerating expansion, including entering Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah) and pursuing a ~AED2 billion leasehold deal with Equitativa, aiming for 8,000 keys within five years.

The Lessons of Cancún, Fifty Years Later

In 1969, Mexico's central bank set out to manufacture a tourism destination from nothing, dispatching a 46-person team of bankers, architects, and economists who spent two years analyzing hundreds of sites before selecting an empty Caribbean sandbar called Cancún. The strategy followed a repeatable five-part template: the state buys the land, builds the infrastructure private capital won't, separates the tourist zone from the workers' city, invites private hotel investment afterward, and targets a nearby wealthy foreign market (Americans) at prices below competitors. Cancún wildly exceeded its targets, growing into Mexico's second-busiest airport and anchoring a state that drew ~20 million…

IHG Introduces Noted Collection to Middle East with Signing in Saudi Arabia

IHG Hotels & Resorts signed a franchise agreement with Morina Development & Investment Co. to introduce the Noted Collection brand to Saudi Arabia, opening the Cantonal Hotel Riyadh with 107 rooms expected by end of 2026.