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Egypt’s ambitious plans to build dozens of modern new cities from scratch

It's not often that you hear of a country constructing brand new cities from the ground up, but Egypt plans to do precisely this in 45 different locations over the next several years. Such a project might sound overly ambitious, but the Egyptian government contends that it was necessary for the …

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The ship Queen Elizabeth 2 to be relaunched as Dubai’s newest floating hotel

The famous luxury ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II, which has been docked in Dubai since it was decommissioned from service with Cunard in 2008, is now to become a commercially managed hotel property under Accor's MGallery Hotel Collection brand. Dubai's state-owned PCFC Hotels (Ports, Customs and …

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New winter wonderland planned within Saudi’s Neom mega-project on the Red Sea

In yet another seemingly reality-defying ambition, Saudi Arabia has announced plans for a sprawling ski resort and luxurious mountain village village within its futuristic, half-trillion-dollar Neom development along the Red Sea coast. This newly announced project, dubbed Trojena, aims to out-defy …

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Egypt Unveils 3,400-Year Old ‘Avenue of the Sphinxes’ in an Awe-Inspiring Ceremonious Night in Luxor

After its discovery in the late 1940s and after several rounds of excavations and restorations since then, the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes finally reopened to the public following a grandiose celebration on November 23, 2021 to mark …

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Ras al Khaima welcomes the UAE’s first casino in deal with Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts

In a first for the UAE, the emirate of Ras al Khaima will create a new Department of Entertainment and Gaming Regulation within its existing Tourism Development Authority to oversee what they are calling "integrated resorts," or developments that will feature casinos and gaming. Gambling has thus …

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Habitas opens its first resort in the Middle East region at Saudi Arabia’s Al Ula

Following the establishment of sustainable retreats in Bacalar, Namibia, and Tulum, Meixco, Habitas has recently opened a 96-room resort in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. On-site are a range of exclusive villas, a swimming pool, fitness center, yoga deck, and restaurant. As …

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Hyatt brand returns to greater Cairo with the opening of Hyatt Regency Cairo West

A new 250-room, Hyatt-branded resort property has opened in the Pyramids Heights Business Park, just southeast of Sheikh Zayed City and northeast of 6th October City. While not exactly ideal for touristic visitors, given that a car ride would still be needed to go anywhere from the grounds, the …

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Old Muscat yacht club and marina to be redeveloped into new Four Seasons property

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts continues to invest in its expansion throughout the Middle East with the announcement of the brand's first property in the Sultanate of Oman. A former yacht club and marina in Muscat will be renovated to form the core of the new property, which will feature 200 …

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Ritz-Carlton moves into the Jordanian market with more soon to come

Marriott International has announced the commencement of operations for the first phase of its new Ritz-Carlton branded complex in Amman with the opening of a Ritz-Carlton Residences in the Jordanian capital. The residences portion of the luxury complex offers 90 apartments for residents to begin …

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We take pride in welcoming representatives of 192 countries to the land of tolerance, as we invest in this global gathering to find solutions to global challenges on the grounds of international co-operation that humanity is in need of.
- His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai at the opening ceremony of the World Expo in Dubai

Feature

A small Riyadh suburb is weaving together the past, present, and future of Saudi Arabia and breathing life into the kingdom's master plan for tourism development.

Diriyah: The Past and Future of Saudi Arabia

Anyone with even a basic knowledge Middle Eastern history, geography, and culture knows of Saudi Arabia's powerhouse capital city, Riyadh, its namesake royal family, the Al Sauds, and its predominant sect of Islam, Wahabism. However, not nearly as many have heard of the place that connects all three of these in a very historically significant way - Diriyah. Now, thanks to efforts by the Saudi government to modernize the infrastructure in and around this otherwise obscure Riyadh suburb and make it a tourist destination in and of itself, the world will soon know the story of how this quaint …

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Diriyah is to Saudi Arabia what the Acropolis is to Athens or the Colosseum is to Rome. - Jerry Inzerillo, former CEO of Forbes Travel Guide and current Chief Executive of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority

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