Travel News tips

With the recent Boeing safety scare on every traveler’s mind, choosing an airline can feel daunting. WalletHub, a financial and consumer website, recently released its study of the best airlines for the coming year, including the safest option for fliers.

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.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been rolling out facial recognition technology at airports across the United States over the past few years. Billed as a “touchless screening” process, the technology allows flyers to pass through airport security without showing an ID or boarding pass. Instead, facial recognition technology is used to verify travelers’ identities by matching their faces to the photo on their government-issued ID.

If you’re daydreaming of swaying palms, sandy beaches, and crystal-clear turquoise waters, we’ve got the getaway for you. We’re giving one lucky winner and their guest a chance to trade in chilly winter weather for a blissful 4-night escape to the sun-drenched Caribbean island of Aruba.

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.

For many travelers, flying on an airplane is a stressful and uncomfortable experience. Airline seats seem to get smaller and smaller, with less and less legroom. For plus-sized passengers, the airline-provided seat belts might not comfortably buckle, presenting a safety issue. If your seatbelt won’t close, you’ll need to request an airplane seatbelt extender. This guide covers everything you need to know about airplane seatbelt extenders so you can fly confidently.

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.

Travelers flying out of Virginia’s Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will now have the option to complete their Global Entry interview upon departure without waiting for an appointment, thanks to a new initiative from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Checking a bag on American Airlines? It will now cost $40 per bag if you don’t prepay online or $35 if you pay in advance. Previously, the airline was charging a flat $30 per checked bag. American has also increased the price of a second checked bag from $40 to $45.

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.

With a stunning location inside Banff National Park, a ski season that lasts for seven months, and the only heated lift in Canada, Banff Sunshine Village is a dream destination for skiers and snowboarders.

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.

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.

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.

Toronto hotel brand Four Seasons is likely to announce its own resort and standalone villa project in United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) Ras Al Khaimah. The proposed super-luxury resort is currently going through its master planning stages and has already found a plot of land “very close” to the $3.9 billion Wynn integrated resort opening in 2027.

Dubai hospitality has always gone for high impact. Whether it’s billion-dollar resorts on man-made islands or luxury hotels colloquially known as seven-star properties, they have served to put the emirate on the global tourism map.

Saudi Arabia’s Neom keeps announcing new hotel projects, and more are possible based on our review of pending trademarks applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 

IHG is in talks to operate all three hotels on a man-made island that’s part of Dubai’s long-delayed tourism development: The Heart of Europe.