• RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
Above, left to right: Oman continues to pursue high-quality
AVIATION'S DEFINING MOMENT If the resilience of the Middle East's tourism industry was tested on the ground, it was tested even more visibly in the skies. Airspace restrictions have created unprecedented operational challenges for one of the world's busiest aviation regions, disrupting schedules, requiring rapid rerouting and placing unprecedented pressure on airports, airlines and air traffic management systems. Yet even during the period of greatest disruption, the region's aviation infrastructure continued to function remarkably effectively. Airports, airlines and aviation authorities worked closely together to maintain operations, prioritise passenger safety and restore services as conditions evolved, demonstrating the operational maturity that has become one of the Middle East's defining competitive strengths. Dubai International Airport (DXB) offered perhaps the clearest example of that resilience. While regional airspace restrictions constrained schedules and reduced capacity, the airport remained fully operational throughout the period, sustaining global connectivity and preparing for the return of normal operations as restrictions eased. Between February 28 and April 30, Dubai Airports safely handled around six million passengers, supported more than 32,000 aircraft movements and processed approximately 213,000 tonnes of cargo, underlining the scale of operations maintained during one of the region's most challenging periods.
customs data submissions were extended from 30 to 90 days, with scope for further extension subject to tax compliance. Measures were also introduced to streamline the issuance and renewal of residency permits, helping businesses retain and attract talent. Rather than focusing solely on stimulating visitor demand, the package sought to strengthen business continuity across the wider tourism economy, ensuring hotels, attractions, airlines and supporting industries remained well positioned to respond as travel confidence returned. Hoor Al Khaja, Senior Vice President of International Operations at Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), has emphasised the importance of maintaining close engagement with industry partners to ensure visitors continued to experience the high standards of service and hospitality for which Dubai is recognised. “Dubai’s approach, guided by the city’s visionary leadership, has always been rooted in long-term planning, agility and strong collaboration across government and industry stakeholders,” said Al Khaja. “Throughout recent regional developments, the city has remained open, operational and welcoming, reinforcing the trust placed in Dubai by travellers, businesses and international partners worldwide.” Together with continued investment in hospitality, attractions and destination development, these projects have sent a clear signal that the UAE's long-term tourism ambitions remain firmly on course despite short-term market disruption.
As UAE airspace restrictions were lifted on May 2, Dubai Airports moved rapidly into recovery mode, working closely with airline and airspace partners to increase daily flight movements and restore capacity. The speed of that recovery reflected years of investment in infrastructure and operational planning rather than a short- term response to disruption. That confidence was reflected by Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, who reiterated that the organisation's long-term ambitions remained unchanged despite the temporary disruption. "Our expansion plans at Dubai Airports have not changed and will not stop, and we will continue to strengthen Dubai's leading position within the global aviation system. Onward and upward," he said. The comments came only months after DXB retained its position as the world's busiest international airport, handling more than 95.2 million international passengers in 2025, reinforcing the airport's position as one of the world's most important global aviation hubs. Work has also continued unabated on the AED 128 billion ($35 billion) expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, one of the world's largest aviation infrastructure projects. The recovery extended well beyond Dubai. Following the full reopening of UAE airspace, regional aviation networks were restored quickly as Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait resumed normal operations, allowing international connectivity across the Gulf to strengthen steadily in the second quarter of the year.
tourism centred on nature, herit- age and culture, supported by world-class infrastructure Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, Minor Hotels – the group reported a sharp acceleration in bookings for its Middle East properties dur- ing the second half of June
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