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 moving into immediately. The property also used the opportunity of […]
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 far been banned across the UAE, so the […]
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 Habitas’ first foray into the Middle East, the selection of Al Ula as the site for this resort […]
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 such a bold initiative is necessary due to the […]
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 the occasion. The 2.7-kilometer-long road, originally lined with hundreds of rams head sphinx statues on both sides stretching its entire length, connects the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, two of the most important […]
KSA unveils plans to develop an oil rig themed complex as an offshore tourism destination
In a unique embrace of an otherwise uninteresting aspect of its economy, Saudia Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has announced plans to develop a 150,000-square-meter complex of hotels, restaurants, and entertainment and sporting venues that will be located not within a city or even on land, but on an offshore oil rig. The project, aptly named […]
Dubai’s Burj Al Arab launches new guided tours open to the general public
For the first time since it opened its gilded doors 21 year ago, the hotel that bills itself as the world’s only “7-star” hotel is offering something for those who cannot afford to shell out enough dinars for a luxurious over-the-top stay here. The property just announced that it will begin offering tours to the […]
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 opening adds much needed new hotel […]
Dubai tourism arrivals are bouncing back big in 2021 following pandemic-defying numbers in 2020
The tiny Gulf emirate that packs a big punch continues to defy expectations as it reported welcoming 1.67 million international visitors in the first third of 2021, according to the Dubai Tourism Annual Visitor Report 2020. While Indians made up nearly 30% of those arrival numbers, visitors from Russia and Eastern Europe made up just […]
Egypt tourism showing initial signs of recovery after 73% drop in 2020 due to Covid
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has reported that the country welcomed 500,000 tourists during the first quarter of 2021 despite the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic. Egypt has strict testing requirements in place for international arrivals and has largely been spared the severe impacts of the pandemic that other countries have suffered. The heavily […]
