Accor has announced the signing of the Creekside Hotel in Dubai, owned by Dubai Duty Free and operated by United Hospitality Management. The property will join Accor under a white-label franchise agreement before being fully repositioned as part of the MGallery Collection after renovations. Located in Al Garhoud, the hotel includes the Aviation Club and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, featuring 292 rooms, two pools, a spa, and fitness facilities. The collaboration marks a major milestone for Accor, UHM, and Dubai Duty Free, ensuring the landmark continues as a cultural, sporting and hospitality hub within Dubai’s evolving lifestyle scene. 

Capital A Berhad has signed a Letter of Intent with Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to explore establishing Bahrain as AirAsia’s Middle East hub. The partnership aims to expand aviation, logistics, maintenance, and talent development links between Asean and the Middle East. AirAsia plans to launch new routes from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines to Bahrain, potentially operating 25+ daily flights by 2030 and carrying 20 million passengers. The partnership could add BHD 3 billion ($8 billion) to Bahrain’s economy, support 100,000+ jobs, and includes plans for a major MRO facility and Teleport logistics hub in Bahrain.

Hilton has signed an agreement with Wirgan Hospitality to rebrand two hotels in Makkah—the city’s first Tapestry Collection by Hilton and a DoubleTree by Hilton—both opening before year-end. The additions will nearly double Hilton’s trading presence in Makkah to over 4,100 rooms. The 1,386-room Wirgan Al Noor, Tapestry Collection will offer heritage-inspired design, ballrooms, dining outlets, and shuttle service to the Haram. The 381-room DoubleTree by Hilton Makkah Aziziyah will cater to pilgrims with easy access to Mina, Jamarat, and regular shuttles. The signings support Saudi Vision 2030, expanding Hilton’s footprint, which includes 21 operating hotels and 83 in the pipeline.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has launched BeRAK, the UAE’s first government-led employee engagement and wellbeing platform for the tourism sector. The platform connects hospitality employees across the emirate, offering wellbeing programmes, expert consultations, professional development, updates and community-building features. BeRAK integrates gamification, rewards, live events, competitions and recognition tools to enhance motivation, teamwork and workplace satisfaction. Powered by Wellbees, the platform supports RAKTDA’s vision to improve liveability and strengthen Ras Al Khaimah’s reputation as an exceptional place to work, aligning with its ongoing commitment to people-first tourism and workforce wellbeing.

THE OZEN COLLECTION will host an immersive festive season across OZEN LIFE MAADHOO and OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI from December 22, 2025, to January 7, 2026, transforming both Maldivian resorts into luxurious winter wonderlands. Guests can enjoy tree-lighting ceremonies, festive dining, Santa experiences, family activities, themed entertainment, and spectacular New Year’s Eve galas—Mystical Ocean at Maadhoo and Glowing Shores at Bolifushi.

Qatar Tourism and the Saudi Tourism Authority have signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation in tourism promotion and marketing. The agreement includes joint participation in global exhibitions, co-organising tourism events, and promoting beach, cultural, and heritage tourism. Both sides will enhance collaboration between travel agencies, exchange tourism data and expertise, and explore innovative technologies to develop joint projects and improve visitor experiences. They will also coordinate within international tourism organisations to advance shared interests in order to support Qatar National Vision 2030 and Saudi Vision 2030.

The Agentic Tourism Initiative was unveiled at the first TOURISE Summit, introducing the world’s first Agentic Protocol for Tourism—a universal AI framework designed to transform every stage of the traveller journey. Developed by TOURISE and Globant, the protocol enables intelligent, seamless, and sustainable travel experiences by defining how AI agents collaborate across the global tourism ecosystem. Founding members include Red Sea Global, Riyadh Air, WTTC, AWS, Salesforce, Trip.com, HUMAIN, and others. The initiative aims to harmonise technology with human-centred travel, supporting more personalised experiences and long-term destination sustainability through a shared, secure, and globally adaptable AI standard.

Swiss-Belhotel International has signed an agreement with Bawareq Nizwa International For Investment SAOC to open Swiss-Belhotel Nizwa in Oman, scheduled for Q2 2026. The upscale hotel will feature 81 rooms and suites, a restaurant, coffee shop, gym, steam room, pool, conference facilities, and commercial spaces. Located in the heart of Nizwa, the property blends modern hospitality with local heritage and supports Oman Vision 2040 as the country’s tourism sector rapidly expands, having welcomed 3.8 million international visitors in 2024 with projections of 11.7 million annually by 2040. The project strengthens Swiss-Belhotel’s growing presence in Oman.