Latest headlines in Travel News

  • Minister Bartlett Engages Saudi Eksab on Investment Support for Jamaica’s Small Tourism Enterprises (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 19:07:59)
    Discussions targeted financing pathways for MSMEs as Jamaica deepens tourism ties with Saudi Arabia
  • Mohammed bin Rashid visits Arabian Travel Market 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 17:23:35)
    His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today visited the 33rd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 17 September. The event brings together leading travel and tourism organisations, companies and industry professionals from the UAE, the region and across the world.His Highness was accompanied during the visit by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and a number of senior officials.
  • Preparedness and collaboration underpin resilience of GCC tourism and hold key to sector’s future (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 14:12:31)
    Preparedness and multilateral collaboration were at the top of the agenda on the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, as policymakers from the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and the United Nations (UN) examined the resilience and long-term trajectory of the GCC’s tourism industry. The 33rd edition of ATM is being hosted at Dubai World Trade Centre until Thursday 17 September.H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister, Economy and Tourism, and H.E. Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General, UN Tourism, took to ATM 2026’s Global Stage to deliver welcome addresses on day one of the event, following opening remarks from Hugh Jones, CEO, RX Global.
  • ATM 2026 Future Stage opens with focus on AI’s role in rebuilding the foundations of global travel (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 13:24:39)
    Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 officially opened its Future Stage today, with industry leaders examining how artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond personalisation, chatbots and automated customer service to reshape the underlying systems on which the global travel industry operates.Located within the Tech & Innovation Hub at the newly launched ATM Travel Tech, Rachel Travers, President, UK Hub at RX Global, officially opened the Future Stage and welcomed attendees to four days of discussions on the technologies, ideas and innovations transforming the global travel industry.
  • German National Tourist Office positive about GCC outbound market (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 13:22:06)
    The German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC) has today announced that the number of overnight stays by GCC visitors to Germany has grown steadily since 2022 to 1.2 million in 2025, an increase of 9%, while GCC travellers spent a total of €3 billion, over 30% more than the average expenditure of all overseas visitors to Germany in 2025. The announcement was made during a press conference on the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, taking place from 14–17 September 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
  • Rooted in Heritage, Driven by Resilience: HMH Marks 16 Years at ATM 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 13:19:46)
    Marking its 16th consecutive year at the Arabian Travel Market, Hospitality Management Holding (HMH) continues to demonstrate that cultural authenticity and sharp operational discipline are the true cornerstones of sustainable hospitality. In a regional market marked by rapid transformation and shifting traveller expectations, our sustained presence at ATM represents more than institutional longevity, it reflects an enduring commitment to authentic Emirati hospitality paired with the commercial precision required to lead in a dynamic industry.
  • Umm Al Quwain: The Quiet UAE Destination Finding Its Moment (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 13:14:16)
    There are few places in the United Arab Emirates where the landscape still seems to belong to the birds, the fishermen and the tides. In Umm Al Quwain, the pace changes almost immediately. The towers recede, the roads become quieter and the coastline opens into a world of lagoons, mangroves and islands, where the Gulf seems less like a backdrop and more like the reason for being here.It is precisely this sense of escape that makes Umm Al Quwain increasingly intriguing — and at the 2026 World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony in Dubai, the emirate received an important vote of confidence when Flamingo Beach Hotel was named Umm Al Quwain’s Leading Hotel 2026.
  • Fujairah Steps Into the Spotlight: A New Chapter for the UAE’s Eastern Coast (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 13:09:32)
    There is a different rhythm to Fujairah. Beyond the glass towers and manicured avenues of the UAE’s better-known cities, the landscape rises dramatically into the Hajar Mountains, while the Gulf of Oman stretches out towards the horizon. It is a side of the Emirates that feels wilder, more elemental and, increasingly, rather irresistible.At last night’s World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony at One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai, Fujairah received international recognition for precisely those qualities, collecting five emirate-level awards across its hotels, resorts and travel industry. The ceremony, held on 13 September, brought together the region’s leading tourism and hospitality names, with Fujairah emerging with a particularly compelling collection of victories.
  • Ajman’s New Chapter: The UAE’s Quiet Rising Star Takes Centre Stage (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 13:03:22)
    For years, Ajman was the emirate that many travellers passed through rather than travelled to. Smaller, quieter and considerably less showy than Dubai, it occupied a curious place in the UAE’s tourism story: close enough to the country’s major attractions to be convenient, yet sufficiently removed from the international spotlight to retain a character of its own.That perception is changing.At the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony, held at One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai on 13 September, Ajman was named Middle East’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination 2026 — a prestigious regional accolade that places the emirate firmly among the destinations to watch.
  • Sharjah’s Quiet Triumph: A New Chapter at the World Travel Awards 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 12:57:51)
    There is something wonderfully understated about Sharjah. While its neighbours have become synonymous with glittering skylines, vast resorts and record-breaking attractions, Sharjah has cultivated a different kind of allure: one that rewards curiosity, slows the pace and invites travellers to look beyond the obvious. At last night’s World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony in Dubai, that philosophy was rewarded in spectacular fashion, with Sharjah’s heritage hotels and desert landscapes taking centre stage.
  • Abu Dhabi’s Moment in the Luxury Travel Spotlight (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 12:34:18)
    At the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony 2026, held at One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai, that quietly confident identity was rewarded with a series of important honours. Abu Dhabi was named Middle East’s Leading Business Travel Destination, while the magnificent Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental collected the title of Middle East’s Leading Luxury Hotel and Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island was recognised as Middle East’s Leading City Resort.
  • Ras Al Khaimah: The UAE’s Wild Luxury Frontier (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 12:24:57)
    At the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony 2026, held in Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah’s growing prominence was once again reflected in a strong presence across the region’s most important tourism categories. The emirate was nominated for Middle East’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, Leading Beach Destination, Leading Business Travel Destination, Leading Destination and Leading Meetings & Conference Destination, while the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority was among the contenders for Middle East’s Leading Tourist Board.
  • Bahrain’s New Chapter in Gulf Travel (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 12:16:09)
    At the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony 2026, held at One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai, Bahrain’s increasingly sophisticated tourism proposition took centre stage, with the kingdom represented across an impressive range of regional categories and a substantial collection of national hotel, resort and travel awards.There is an appealing intimacy to Bahrain that sets it apart from its larger Gulf neighbours.The kingdom may be small in size, but its story is remarkably rich.
  • Kuwait’s Quiet Confidence Shines at the World Travel Awards 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 12:10:02)
    There is something refreshingly understated about Kuwait.While its Gulf neighbours have spent the past two decades constructing ever more extravagant skylines, island resorts and headline-grabbing attractions, Kuwait has followed a rather different path. Its appeal is more nuanced: a cosmopolitan capital with a strong sense of identity, a long-established culture of hospitality, a sophisticated dining scene, an impressive collection of luxury hotels and a coastline that remains one of the country’s quieter pleasures.At the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony 2026, held at One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai, that understated confidence was rewarded with an impressive haul of honours. Kuwait collected 11 national awards, providing a snapshot of a hospitality industry that combines established names with an increasingly polished contemporary offering.
  • Saudi Arabia’s New Golden Age of Travel (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 12:03:54)
    There was a time when Saudi Arabia was a destination travellers knew largely through photographs: the great desert stretching towards the horizon, the ancient Nabataean tombs of the north, the pilgrimage cities of Makkah and Madinah, and the futuristic skyline beginning to take shape in Riyadh.Today, the reality is considerably more intriguing.At the 2026 World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony, Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary transformation into one of the world’s most closely watched emerging travel destinations was celebrated in a collection of honours spanning luxury hotels, resorts, cultural destinations and an entirely new generation of tourism developments.
  • Oman’s Quiet Rise to Luxury Travel Stardom (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 11:57:26)
    There is something wonderfully different about arriving in Oman. The landscape does not announce itself with the exuberance of the Gulf’s more flamboyant destinations. Instead, the Sultanate reveals its charms gradually: the serrated peaks of the Hajar Mountains appearing beyond Muscat, whitewashed villages tucked between rocky valleys, date palms shimmering beside ancient falaj irrigation channels and, beyond them, a coastline where turquoise water meets long stretches of untouched sand.
  • Qatar Shines at the World Travel Awards 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 11:50:21)
    There are few places in the Gulf where ambition and elegance meet quite as effortlessly as Qatar. In Doha, gleaming towers rise above the Corniche, contemporary museums sit alongside traditional souqs, and the desert stretches towards a coastline of almost cinematic beauty. At this year’s World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony in Dubai, that distinctive combination of modern sophistication, exceptional hospitality and growing tourism appeal was celebrated in emphatic style.
  • Dubai celebrates 33 wins at World Travel Awards Middle East 2026 (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 11:46:34)
    Dubai has underlined the depth and quality of its tourism offering after its hotels, resorts, attractions and travel companies secured 33 titles at the World Travel Awards Middle East 2026.The results recognise organisations operating across Dubai’s visitor economy, from luxury resorts and landmark hotels to beaches, tour operators, destination management companies and serviced accommodation.Atlantis The Royal was named Dubai’s Leading Luxury Resort, with its Panoramic Penthouse also securing Dubai’s Leading Hotel Penthouse. Atlantis, The Palm was voted Dubai’s Leading Resort.
  • THE NEW LAUNCH OF RED WINGS AND NAWAB BIRYANI HOUSE IN DUBAI (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 10:31:36)
    Zest Nest Culinary, the UAE-focused food and beverage venture led by award-winning celebrity chef Chef Ishijyot Surri and entrepreneur and investor Sameer Musale, has partnered with Talabat for the Dubai launch of its first two delivery- first concepts: Red Wings and Nawab Biryani House. The tie-up marks the beginning of Zest Nest Culinary’s broader plan to develop multiple, independently positioned F&B brands across the UAE and wider GCC.
  • Sharjah Collection: One Destination into Many Journeys (Breaking Travel News 2026-09-14 10:28:54)
    Sharjah Collection, the distinctive portfolio of luxury retreats by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), is presenting a compelling proposition at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 on how destination can offer many remarkably different journeys.