GCC tourism drives up regional GDP
Qatar Airways touches down at RSI
Ciel Dubai Marina rises 377 metres
Emirates celebrates multiple milestones
2026 >
SEPTEMBER UAE’S 1BN PASSENGER MILESTONE Statistics from the Federal Competitive- ness and Statistics Centre reveal total passenger traffic through UAE airports surpassed one billion between 2015 and 2024. The UAE also ranks first globally in the air transport quality index. ATM THEME FOCUSES ON FUTURE ATM reveals ‘Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology,’ as its 2026 theme, exploring AI, green aviation, and smart mobility as global tourism heads toward 30 billion visits and $16 trillion GDP by 2034, according to WEF. TOURISM’S GDP BOOST IN GCC Travel and tourism contributed US$247.1 billion to the GCC’s GDP in 2024, up 31.9% since 2019, the GCC Statistical Centre reveals. Its ‘Tourism in the GCC: A Gateway to Development and Sustain- able Transformation’ report projects the sector’s GDP contribution to reach 13.3% ($371.2 billion) by 2034, highlighting its growing role in driving economic, social, and environmental development.
OCTOBER QATAR AIRWAYS LANDS AT RSI Red Sea International Airport celebrates inaugural Qatar Airways flight from Doha, marking RSI’s second international route. The service operates three times weekly – every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday – to Saudi Arabia’s luxury coastline destination. RIYADH AIR FLIES TO LONDON New Saudi carrier Riyadh Air launches its inaugural flight on October 26, with Lon- don’s Heathrow Airport its first destination. Flights to the UK operate daily, with carri- er’s CEO Tony Douglas revealing Dubai will be the second destination. Riyadh Air has 182 aircraft on order, including 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, plus Airbus A320s and longer-range A350s. WOMEN 50% OF KSA WORKFORCE Women make up almost 50% of Saudi Arabia’s tourism workforce, the kingdom’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb reveals at the 25th World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Rome. Saudi is “a global model to be emulated,” he says.
NOVEMBER WORLD’S TALLEST HOTEL OPENS Ciel Dubai Marina, Vignette Collection by IHG, opens its doors as the world’s tallest hotel, rising some 377 metres and offering 1,004 rooms and suites. Located in Dubai Marina, the sky-high property also features one of the world's highest infinity pools. The following month (December), it is crowned as the World’s Tallest Hotel by Guinness World Records™ CRUISE ARABIA EXPANDS The Cruise Arabia Alliance expands its membership with Saudi Arabia and Qatar joining the regional partnership – a move set to strengthen cruise tourism and pro- mote closer cooperation across the GCC. JUMEIRAH'S EXCLUSIVE ISLAND Jumeirah’s Burj Al Arab launches Cape Morris, an exclusive private-island experi- ence located within Dubai’s World Islands. It will be available for private hires and dai- ly excursions exclusively for guests of Burj Al Arab and other Jumeirah properties. It’s accessible via a 64-foot luxury yacht from Marsa Marina.
DECEMBER DUBAI AIRPORTS' BUMPER WINTER Dubai Airports enters the 2025 winter season with one of its strongest networks yet, driven by rising demand across DXB and DWC. Direct traffic is crucial, ac- counting for 55% of passenger demand at DXB. Europe and Central Asia lead growth, supported by new and returning airlines. EMIRATES' 40TH YEAR MILESTONES Emirates moved 55.6 million customers, circled Earth 29,290 times on nearly 180,580 flights, and placed orders for 73 new aircraft in 2025. At the same time, Emirates Skywards turns 25. GCC OUTBOUND TO REACH $138BN The GCC’s outbound travel and tourism market is set to be worth $138.06 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 7.1% (2025- 2033), according to IMARC Group. Factors fuelling this expansion range from the proliferation of budget carriers and digital booking platforms to a preference for premium experiences, cultural immersion, and wellness journeys.
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