Cannes Lions: Saudi Bets on Creativity as New Energy Source for Tourism

Oracle Hospitality is taking its time to integrate the latest advancements of AI into its hotel tech products. 

A big airport can sometimes feel like a teeming metropolis—or an “aerotropolis” as it were, a term coined to describe these rising mega-airport-cum-commerce centers. In fact, the largest U.S. airfields, in terms of area covered, are literally as big as a decent-sized city. And, just like any major city, they also seem to be in a constant state of demolition and reconstruction, with sprawling new terminals being erected to accommodate an ever-growing population of travelers. Last year, U.S. airports handled more than 1 billion passengers flying on U.S. and international carriers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and the number is expected to only continue to rise in the coming years.

Gloria Guevara Manzo, Saudi Arabia’s chief special advisor to the tourism minister, has announced she’s stepping down.

India is emerging as an important source market for tourism for Middle Eastern nations.

The city of Jeddah, Saudi’s coastal cosmopolitan hub and, historically, the home to worldwide arts and music, is a gathering spot for a variety of vibrant cultures.

Tourism in the Middle Eastern country of Oman is improving. The Gulf nation was hit hard by Covid and had long struggled to recoup its tourism sector. But government measures are helping.

Qatar Airways has been voted the world's best airline at Skytrax's 2024 World Airline Awards, the eighth time that the airline has won the honor in the 25-year history of the awards.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Travel Leaders Network president Roger Block, who will step down from his executive role at the end of this year, is confident he is leaving TLN better than when he found it.

More than 1,000 people have died while making the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, according to an AFP tally on Thursday. Officials said the main cause of death is extreme heat in the region as temperatures surpass 120 degree Fahrenheit (125 degrees Celsius). Thousands more are being treated for heatstroke. 

Lifestyle hotels continue to be the must-have item in the hospitality industry.

Ennismore, the fast-growing lifestyle hospitality company that’s an Accor joint venture, said Thursday it had entered into a strategic partnership to run and market as part of its family of brands the experiential luxury hotel brand Our Habitas.

This Hajj season, Emirates is geared up to serve the large volume of pilgrims making their way from the airline’s global network through Dubai, to Jeddah and Medina to perform the once in a lifetime Muslim pilgrimage. Emirates has been working hard throughout every travel touchpoint of the journey to ensure comfortable experience, both in the air and on the ground for pilgrims heading to Makkah for this significant trip.