Tourism news tips

A Taylor Swift tour is on Saudi Arabia’s radar. That’s not saying much of course – Swift is on every destination’s radar. But Saudi says such a concert could be in the country’s future if the wider Arabia does more to promote itself as a unified destination.

Marriott International has dressed one of its top general managers as Lawrence of Arabia to promote its new resort along the Red Sea. Nujuma, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve is expected to be the most expensive hotel ever operated in Saudi Arabia – commanding rates of more than $3,400 a night when it opens on May 26.

A man-made island four times the size of Manhattan’s Central Park may not sound very “eco,” but the Palm Jebel Ali in Dubai is promising to house an “eco-resort,” a wellness resort, and a wellness club and various other facilities.

The capital of the United Arab Emirates has unveiled a new grand plan for tourism, with $10 billion worth of investment into the sector, almost 200,000 new jobs, and the promise of new streamlined visa processes.

Saudi Arabia’s luxury Red Sea destination has been certified as disability-friendly for its two diving centers – making it the first project in the country to be recognized as such.

A job ad posted by Neom suggests the Saudi development could be working on its own e-visa program for travelers and residents. Neom is a flagship project from the Saudi Arabian crown prince – a $500 billion development.

Football icon and Al-Nassr player Cristiano Ronaldo is currently staying at – and promoting – The Red Sea. The coastal destination is a flagship project of Saudi Arabia’s tourism dream, expected to house 50 luxury hotels by the end of the decade.

Guido De Wilde is out of retirement. De Wilde is one of the great city builders of Dubai, serving as the regional chief operating officer for Marriott International during the formative years of the modern emirate. De Wilde retired in June 2021, partly due to a cancer diagnosis.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman have signed a pact to promote cruises across all four destinations. The Cruise Arabia Alliance was forged at this week’s ITB Berlin travel trade show and is the latest development in trying to promote multi-country holidays in the Gulf.

The Saudi government has released its plans for the “Qiddiya Speed Track,” a Formula One-ready course being created at the Qiddiya development. The 21-turn track will go past the Six Flags amusement park and water park, similar to how the Las Vegas course wraps around the mighty Sphere.

Saudi Arabia has launched a global brand campaign for its cultural tourism site AlUla, home to ancient ruins and a growing list of luxury hotels. The “Forever Revitalising” campaign has been produced in six languages with events in Dubai, London, New York, Paris, Shanghai, and Mumbai.

Saudi Arabia’s tourism minister says the kingdom counted more than 100 million tourists in 2023 – the numbers show growth in visits from international travelers, but that it still has work to do to become a globally competitive destination.

Dubai saw 17 million visitors in 2023, the emirate’s best-ever year for tourism and the first year ahead of pre-pandemic numbers. The news was shared in a brief tweet by the city’s crown prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.

Saudi Arabia will launch a dedicated visa for its World Expo in 2030, which will facilitate “seamless entry from plane to metro to Expo site,” states the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

Saudi Arabia is preparing to open its first and only alcohol store, according to a report by Reuters Wednesday. The store will be in capital city Riyadh and only sell alcohol to visiting “non-Muslim diplomats,” said Reuters, citing an unnamed source and a document.

Dubai’s tourism authority has issued 70 ‘Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamps’ to hotels across the emirate. With more than 800 hotels in Dubai today, that means that just under 10% of operating hotels were recognized for adhering to Dubai’s sustainability requirements.

The upcoming Gulf Cooperation Council unified visa, which would ease crossing borders like in the Schengen Zone, is forecast to supercharge inter-regional travel in the Gulf states, according to Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism boss.

Saudi Arabia is truly leaving no stone unturned in its pursuit to become a tourism superpower. The kingdom’s latest move is to create the “Dan Company”, an organization under the sovereign wealth fund designed to promote and develop agritourism and eco-tourism.

Saudi Arabia’s Belgium-sized city of Neom has unveiled another giga-project. It’s called the Gulf of Aqaba and will contain many of the futuristic hotels the $500 billion project has announced in recent months.

The Saudi Crown Prince has relaunched and “rebranded” his project outside of Riyadh called Qiddiya – a super-city purely focused on sports, leisure and entertainment. The new Qiddiya vision has been announced without a price tag, nor a firm opening date, but is described as a “cornerstone of Vision 2030” – Mohammed Bin Salman’s ambition to diversify his kingdom’s economy away from oil exports by the end of the decade.

Will Smith is the latest celebrity to promote Saudi Arabia. Smith posted a video on Instagram Wednesday morning showing his recent visit to Neom, a $500 billion project Saudi Arabia is building and hoping to open by next year.