GACA allocates dedicated lounges for Makkah Route Pilgrims
Sun, 26 Apr 2026
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has allocated specialised reception lounges at Jeddah and Madinah airports for pilgrims participating in the Makkah Route Initiative for the 2026 Hajj season.
Aquarabia, Saudi Arabia’s first water theme park, opens in Qiddiya City
Fri, 24 Apr 2026
Aquarabia, Saudi Arabia’s first and largest water theme park, opened to fun-seekers in Qiddiya City on Thursday (April 23).
Saudi Arabia civil aviation expects 12,000 flights during Hajj season
Wed, 22 Apr 2026
Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation has affirmed its full readiness to enhance operation during this Hajj season by providing more than 3.1 million seats for inbound and outbound flights and operating more than 12,000 scheduled and charter flights through six main airports.
Saudi Tourism Ministry welcomes first pilgrim groups to Makkah, Madinah
Sun, 19 Apr 2026
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism welcomed the first groups of pilgrims arriving in Makkah and Madinah, organising reception events that reflect Saudi hospitality and the Kingdom’s commitment to serving pilgrims.
PIF to support development of 100,000 hotel rooms, 70 tourism experiences
Thu, 16 Apr 2026
Saudi Public Investment Fund's (PIF) tourism, travel, and entertainment ecosystem aims to capitalise on the growing Saudi tourism industry by developing strategic assets that generate reliable returns, improving air‑connectivity and leveraging world‑class events to attract visitors.
flyadeal to launch flights from Jeddah to Dubai
Mon, 13 Apr 2026
flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline, is launching scheduled flights between Jeddah and Dubai, and reinstating services between the Saudi capital and Dubai, effective 15 April 2026.
Saudia, Neo Space Group launch advanced in-flight connectivity
Mon, 13 Apr 2026
Neo Space Group (NSG), a PIF company and Saudi Arabia’s leading commercial space services provider, has launched one of the region’s advanced in-flight connectivity (IFC) services in partnership with Saudia, the Kingdom’s national flag carrier.
Saudi hotel occupancy reaches 57.3pc in Q4 2025
Mon, 13 Apr 2026
The average hotel room occupancy rate in Saudi Arabia stood at 57.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025, marking an increase of 1.3 percentage points compared to 56% during the same period in 2024.
Saudi domestic tourism grows 16pc in Q1 2026
Sun, 12 Apr 2026
Saudi Arabia reported strong domestic tourism growth in Q1 2026, with 28.9 million tourists, up 16% year-on-year, and spending reaching SAR34.7 billion ($9 billion), an 8% increase, highlighting sustained demand supporting the tourism sector.
SLS The Red Sea brings international dining concepts to Saudi Arabia
Thu, 09 Apr 2026
SLS The Red Sea, a destination in its own right, presents a dynamic culinary line-up that brings together internationally acclaimed names making their Saudi debut alongside original concepts.
Gulf Air adds four South Asia routes from Dammam
Tue, 07 Apr 2026
Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, has expanded its temporary operations from King Fahd International Airport with the addition of four new South Asian destinations: Lahore, Islamabad, Kochi, and Dhaka.
Discover Aseer named among IGCAT’s Top 10 Foodie Websites for 2026
Mon, 06 Apr 2026
Saudi Arabia is emerging as a top culinary destination, with Aseer Region gaining global recognition. The “Discover Aseer” platform was named among IGCAT’s Top 10 Foodie Websites for 2026.
Jazan records tenfold growth in tourism accommodation facilities
Sun, 05 Apr 2026
Jazan Region in Saudi Arabia saw major tourism growth from 2020 to early 2026, with accommodation facilities increasing from 32 to 323, driven by rising investment, expanded infrastructure, and growing demand from visitors.
Patel Family Office, AHQ launch $1bn Saudi hospitality platform
Fri, 27 Mar 2026
Patel Family Office, a US investment enterprise, and Abdel Hadi A Al-Qahtani & Sons (AHQ), a Saudi industrial conglomerate, have signed a $1 billion deal to establish AYARA, a vertically integrated hospitality platform that will develop a network of 50 international brand-name business hotels across Saudi Arabia by 2029.
F1 cancels April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
Sun, 15 Mar 2026
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Grands Prix will not take place in April as scheduled due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the FIA said.
Air India, AIE ramp up GCC operations with nearly 50 special flights
Sat, 07 Mar 2026
With airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman open, Air India and Air India Express continue to operate scheduled flights to and from the kingdom's port city Jeddah and the sultanate's capital Muscat. To support guests stranded in the region, the duo will operate 43 flights across the region today (March 7).
UK prepares plan to evacuate stranded people via Saudi Arabia: report
Mon, 02 Mar 2026
Britain is preparing for a mass evacuation of tourists and expats stranded in the Gulf due to the present conflict in the area via Saudi Arabia, a Daily Mail report said.
165-room Radisson Hotel Madinah opens
Thu, 19 Feb 2026
The Radisson Hotel Madinah, a new four-star hotel, was opened in Madinah in the presence of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb.
King Fahd International Airport deploys latest navigation system
Wed, 18 Feb 2026
King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest airport in the world by area, has introduced a state-of-the-art navigation system, marking the first Category III Instrument Landing System upgrade in Saudi Arabia.
flyadeal takes delivery of first new aircraft of 2026
Tue, 17 Feb 2026
flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline, has received its first new aircraft of 2026, an Airbus A320neo, increasing its fleet to 45 jets. Arriving from Airbus’ Toulouse plant, it is flyadeal’s 34th A320neo, contributing to the airline’s all-narrowbody fleet.
Rixos Murjana opens as Saudi Arabia’s largest ultra-all-inclusive resort
Mon, 16 Feb 2026
Rixos Murjana, Saudi Arabia’s largest ultra all-inclusive resort, has opened in King Abdullah Economic City. Financed by the Tourism Development Fund and developed in partnership with Emaar Economic City and FTG Company, the resort emerges as a destination for domestic and international tourism.