Ahlan Arabia, the flagship roadshow by dnata Representation Services, concluded its 8th edition across the GCC with impactful events in Jeddah, Kuwait, and Dubai. The platform brought together a distinguished lineup of partners and around 170 travel trade professionals in the three cities.

The third edition of the GCC Beach Games, “Muscat 2025,” will open on April 5, hosted by Oman. The tournament will run until April 11, with the participation of six GCC nations in eight sports: beach football, beach volleyball, beach handball, open-water swimming, sailing, tent pegging, beach athletics, and paragliding.

Kempinski Hotels has signed an agreement to manage the Nymphenburg Palace Royal Residence in Munich. In partnership with Prince Luitpold von Bayern and the Royal Family of Bavaria, Kempinski began managing the private residence exclusively from March 1. Spread over three floors with a total of 836 sq m, the Royal Residence features four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, three living rooms, a dining room, a kitchen, a fitness room, meeting space, a home cinema, and a wine cellar. 

Discover Saudi, a destination management company (part of Almosafer), has been appointed as the first DMC from KSA to become a member of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). As a member of ICCA, Discover Saudi will gain access to a global network of event organisers, enabling it to boost KSA’s flourishing convention and congress industry. 

Thrifty Car Rental has been recognised with two awards at the Truck & Fleet Awards 2025, held in Dubai. The company was honoured as the 'Rental Car Company of the Year' and 'Fleet of the Year' for its innovative fleet solutions and exceptional customer service. Rahul Singh, Managing Director of Thrifty Car Rental, expressed his delight at the achievement.

Dubai Gold Souk Extension invited shoppers and tourists to explore exclusive offers and discover something special during Ramadan. It has over 200 shops dedicated to gold, jewellery and watches. It offered visitors the chance to win exquisite jewellery sets and luxury watches, with total prizes valued at up to AED250,000. The campaign runs till April 6. Each week, the grand golden vault at the destination will be unlocked to reveal prizes. 

The fifth edition of the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign, which ran for six weeks from 16 December 2024 in the UAE's seven emirates, under the theme ‘Green Tourism’, concluded recently. During the campaign, hotel establishment revenues soared to AED1.9 billion ($517.34 million), reflecting an impressive 86.9 per cent growth compared to the fourth edition. The total number of hotel guests exceeded 4.4 million, marking a substantial 62 per cent increase, while hotel occupancy rates reached 74 per cent, officials said.

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new global airline, has unveiled its new sonic brand, “Sound of a New Era,” revealing one of the first key guest experience touchpoints, as the airline approaches its first flight later in 2025. This sonic identity, composed and orchestrated at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, is the creation of a talented mix of Saudi and international artists.

Dual China Visitors Summits set in UAE

The China Visitors Summit (CVS) is making a powerful return to the UAE this year, hosting two back-to-back events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – marking a significant moment for the revival of Chinese travel to the region.

 Chinese inbound tourism to the UAE has officially rebounded to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, with a growing number of travellers seeking premium experiences across all seven Emirates. From luxury accommodations to adventure, sports, culture, and art, Chinese visitors are showing a strong appetite for the UAE's diverse offerings.

 The CVS will be held in Dubai on August 25 and 26 at the SO/ Uptown Dubai Hotel, followed by Abu Dhabi on August 28 and 29 at the Rotana Hotel in Al Ain. Together, the two events will welcome over 150 top-tier Chinese travel buyers including luxury and corporate travel planners, wholesalers, OTAs, and bespoke travel agencies.

 “The dual summit format gives UAE suppliers a powerful opportunity to hand-pick the Chinese buyers they want to connect with—whether they focus on luxury, group travel, FIT, business, or niche experiences,” said Alexander Glos, CEO of China i2i Group, the summit’s organiser. “This year’s events in the UAE will generate over 16,000 face-to-face, pre-scheduled meetings—making it the largest gathering of Chinese travel industry professionals outside China.”

 Originally launched in the UAE in 2013, the China Visitors Summit has since been held 36 times across the globe. With its return to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the CVS continues to lead the way as the world’s most effective B2B platform for Chinese outbound travel business development.