Mabrian’s analysis of 2025 international air seat availability reveals key shifts in the Middle East’s aviation landscape, underscoring the need for strategic route development, airline partnerships, and network optimisation to strengthen the Middle East’s position as a global aviation hub. Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform, analysed seats availability data on flights scheduled in international, one-way, direct flights connecting to nine Middle East destinations (Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates - UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrein), that collectively account for 12% of the total global inbound air seats scheduled for the full year 2025. This study is part of a series of Middle East market insights Mabrian will release in the lead-up to Arabian Travel Market 2025, aiming at sparking discussions on key trends shaping the travel & tourism in the region. Key take outs of this study indicate that the United Arab Emirates and Türkiye maintain their positions as top global connectivity hubs; Saudi Arabia emerges as a fast-growing competitor; Qatar stabilises after sustained expansion; Egypt and Jordan are set to outpace global growth rates, and Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait face declining inbound connectivity.

DIGITRIPS, the French travel tech group behind the B2B and B2C platform MisterFly, has unveiled FREEZE – the only feature on the market that allows travellers to lock in a flight fare for up to 12 months before take-off, without any commitment. Unlike traditional price freeze tools that only offer a few hours or days of protection, FREEZE gives travellers the power to secure the best airfare months ahead and confirm or decline the held fare up to 10 days before departure. This unique approach eliminates the stress of volatile airfare pricing and offers unmatched flexibility in trip planning.

Phocuswright Europe, the premier European conference for travel technology and innovation, today announced its highly anticipated speaker lineup and program for its 2025 event. The conference will take place from June 10-12, 2025, at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Under the overarching theme of "The New Age(nts)", Phocuswright Europe 2025 will delve into the transformative forces reshaping the travel industry. With a particular focus on the impact of Generative AI, the program will explore how these new "agents" of change – including autonomous technologies and evolving consumer behaviors – are influencing company operations, the in-destination experience, travel distribution, and travel marketing. The convergence of GenAI with digital identity will also be a key topic, examining its potential to create more seamless and personalized travel experiences.

Abu Dhabi-based Rotana will offer the 30 million members of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme over 80 additional properties to choose from across six brands in the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe & Türkiye Rotana, a leading hotel management company in the UAE and one of the region’s largest hospitality operators, today announced a strategic partnership with Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest network of independent hotel brands. This landmark collaboration significantly expands Rotana's global reach, providing enhanced loyalty benefits to guests while boosting commercial strength.

Kimpton, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts' Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, announces a new partnership with Tiny Zaps, an emerging and innovative tattoo studio specializing in tiny tattoos, to bring the rising trend of “tattourism” – celebrating and commemorating travel with meaningful tattoos – directly to guests at select Kimpton hotels.

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) is working with Peninsula Bay Investment Co., Ltd to return InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the world’s first and largest international luxury hotel brand, to Cambodia.