Survival of the fittest: How OTAs are competing in the Middle East
In an increasingly competitive Middle East online travel landscape, staying ahead demands more than just speed – it requires sharp differentiation, relentless innovation, and smart use of AI. That was the dominant mood as top OTA leaders from Booking.com, Wego, Almosafer, and Travelwings gath [...]
Elevating on-site quality and experiences is the next big step to attract high-value tourists to the GCC
Mabrian, a global travel intelligence platform returns as data partner for the Connecting Travel Insights Report 2025, launched at ATM Dubai, a study that reveals trends behind the GCC’s evolution into a top-tier tourism destination and key priorities to be addressed in this journey, including har [...]
Agoda invites hoteliers to join its milestone 20th birthday campaign
Accommodation providers will have opportunities to participate in a promotional event catered to millions of travellers
Celebrating 20 years of Agoda, the digital travel platform is inviting hoteliers and accommodation providers across the region to participate in a landmark 20th Birthday sal [...]
Laura Houldsworth on Corporate travel, AI and Taggable Tourism | Conversations on Turning 20
When you get to the ripe young age of 20, you’re bound to collect lots of stories – not only about the past but lessons for the future.
As WiT marks its 20th year in 2025, we turn the spotlight on our community, our tribe pioneers and leaders, to tell their stories and share their views on th [...]
Global Hotel Alliance reports strong Q1 start buoyed by loyalty programme
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world's largest alliance of independent hotel brands, has reported strong first-quarter results for 2025, with continued double-digit gains across all key metrics. Robust returns and sustained momentum reflect the growing impact of its award-winning loyalty programme [...]
Mid-range expansion and upscale realignment, key opportunities for Middle East hospitality market
Mabrian, part of The Data Appeal Company - Almawave Group, has released a new hospitality-focused study uncovering critical insights across six leading Middle Eastern destinations. The analysis highlights three distinct hotel market scenarios—based on distribution, pricing, and satisfaction level [...]
Echoes of Eurasia: A new heritage stay in Penang by Chris Ong
When it comes to breathing new life into old bones, few do it as elegantly as Chris Ong. The banker-turned-hotelier – whose name is synonymous with some of Penang’s most evocative heritage properties such as Muntri Mews and Seven Terraces – is back after a seven-year hiatus with his most intim [...]
Trump, tariffs and travel: How will the turbulence play out in Asia?
Could intra-Asia travel provide a soft landing?
Travel industry leaders around the world are bracing themselves for the fallout of the Trump tariffs announced yesterday, and even more so in Asia, where most countries have been lumped into the “worst offenders” bucket and are facing what BBC de [...]
Saudi Arabia Online Travel Agency (OTA) market skyrockets | OTA air GBV hits US$1.9 billion, hotel climbs to $2.3 billion
VIDEC releases new travel market sizing & OTA benchmarking study highlighting significant growth in Saudi Arabia's market
VIDEC Consultants has released preliminary insights from its latest VIDEC’s GCC & Egypt Travel Market Study, 2019-2028. VIDEC undertook independent, rigorous and unbia [...]
Stuart Trevor: The fashion rebel who wants to change the industry without making clothes
The AllSaints founder wants hoteliers to rethink the way they dress staff
Stuart Trevor, the maverick who once outfitted the likes of Depeche Mode, The Who, and Destiny’s Child through his iconic brand AllSaints, is back – and this time, he wants to turn the fashion industry on its head.
Hi [...]
