Travelers are canceling or postponing planned vacations to the Middle East and North Africa due to fears of the Israel-Hamas conflict worsening, and as touring companies have also altered itineraries and canceled flights. Leisure travel demand to the region was hit after Israel said the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas killed 1,400 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7, and Israel responded with air and ground strikes on Gaza that Palestinian authorities say have killed more than 10,000. Major airlines extended temporary halts on flights into Israel through the end of the year while cruise operators are shifting itineraries to avoid neighboring countries as well. Travel operators say the war is affecting demand for travel to nearby nations including Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. Foreig...
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TravClan, a global B2B Travel Tech Platform, has entered into strategic partnerships with the government bodies and tourism boards of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman, and Saudi Arabia to continue to reshape the way travel agents sell and deliver exceptional travel experiences worldwide. Expected to attract over 2 lakh new consumers to the Middle East, these alliances stand to generate a potential 20% revenue growth in the next 3 years for 15,000+ travel agents who would get a chance to learn more about offerings of the region. "Our partnerships are critical in achieving our mission to boost tourism in the Middle East," said Chirag Agrawal, Co-founder of TravClan. "They underline our commitment to showcase the region's incredible offerings and foster trust and confidence among travele...
Read MoreMusafir.com, a leading online travel agency headquartered in the UAE, has revealed in its bi-annual travel trend report that sporting events will augment the tourism and hospitality economy up to 30 % in the region. The Middle East is becoming the world's fastest-growing sports tourism destination valued at an estimated USD 600bn, according to the World Trade Organisation. Major events such as FIFA World Cup Qatar, Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, etc. will give Gulf tourism a boost in the last quarter of the year. FILE PHOTO: Flag raising ceremony for the last three teams to qualify for the 2022 World Cup - Doha, Qatar - June 16, 2022 General view during the ceremony REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous Amongst the GCC countries, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar will see the majority arriv...
Read MoreThe eastern Mediterranean and Middle East are warming almost twice as fast as the global average, with temperatures projected to rise up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century if no action is taken to reverse the trend, a new report says. The region will experience “unprecedented” heat waves, more severe and longer-lasting droughts and dust storms and rainfall shortages that will “compromise water and food security” for the region’s 400 million people, according to a summary of the report released Tuesday. The eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East are more susceptible to warming trends because of their unique natural characteristics, like large desert expanses and lower water levels, the study said. FILE PHOTO: A couple walk at the salt lake dur...
Read MoreTemperatures in the Middle East have risen far faster than the world’s average in the past three decades. Precipitation has been decreasing, and experts predict droughts will come with greater frequency and severity. The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impact of climate change — and already the effects are being seen. In Iraq, intensified sandstorms have repeatedly smothered cities this year, shutting down commerce and sending thousands to hospitals. Rising soil salinity in Egypt’s Nile Delta is eating away at crucial farmland. In Afghanistan, drought has helped fuel the migration of young people from their villages, searching for jobs. In recent weeks, temperatures in some parts of the region have topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). ...
Read More# Employment in the sector set to double by 2032# Sector expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by next year The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the Travel & Tourism sector in Saudi Arabia is expected to grow at an average of 11% annually over the next decade, making it the fastest growing Travel & Tourism in the Middle East. According to the forecast from WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR), this annual growth, more than six times the 1.8% growth rate of the country’s overall economy, will bolster the economic recovery of the Kingdom. By 2032, the Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP could reach nearly SAR 635 billion, representing 17.1% of the total economy. The forecast also reveals Travel & Tourism employment coul...
Read MoreWith 200 days to go until the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar is gearing up to welcome more than one million visitors for the tournament. Already home to the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster, Qatar Tourism is celebrating Eid al-Fitr, with another record-breaking attraction - the largest balloon festival in the Middle East. With balloons, ranging from well-known and much-loved characters such as Minion, Angry Birds, Mario & Luigi, to iconic Qatari features including a falcon, whale shark and even a Qatar Airways plane, the three-day festival sees thousands line the Corniche to watch the parade. Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “As we prepare to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in 200 days, our focus is on tourism and providing u...
Read MoreAthari Alkhaldi stands out amid a sea of men and falcons at the Middle East’s top falconry competition: the first Saudi woman to qualify and participate in the event. “With my participation ... I proved I am here, that women can join this field, that it’s not only restricted to men,” she said, alongside her falcon Ma’aned. Falconry is an important part of the desert heritage of Arabs of Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries going back thousands of years. Athari Alkhaldi, the first Saudi woman to qualify and participate in the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, holds a falcon during the show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 1, 2020. Courtesy of King Abdulaziz Falconry Media Center/Handout via REUTERS The two-week King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, which gathers more than 4,000 ...
Read MoreThe International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments in Africa and Middle East (AME) to implement testing as an alternative to quarantine measures when re-opening their economies. Thirty-five countries in Africa and the Middle East have government-imposed quarantine measures in place. This is an increase of seven countries since August. The impact is that the region effectively remains in lockdown despite borders being open. Recent public opinion research showed that 88% of travelers would not even consider traveling if quarantine measures were imposed on travelers at their destination. “Mandatory quarantine measures stop people from traveling. We understand that governments’ priority is on protecting the well–being of their citizens. Quarantine destroys ...
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