India's IndiGo plans massive global push with 30 new A350s, partnerships
Air India is the first Indian airline to order the Trent XWB, and the size of the order, including options, makes them the world's largest operator of the Trent XWB-97
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Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
Middle East tourism spend to jump 50% to $350bln by 2030
The total tourism spend in the Middle East by 2030 will be 50% higher than in 2024, generating expenditure of nearly $350 billion, according to A new report compiled by Tourism Economics on behalf of Arabian Travel Market (ATM). The ATM Travel Trends Report 2025 reveals insights into the trends and transformations redefining the travel sector in the Middle East and worldwide, including the surge of business travel, the growth of the luxury segment, and the boom in regional sports tourism. The report highlights exceptional growth in Middle East travel spending, projected to exceed 2019 levels by 54% this year and anticipates an annual growth rate of over 7% from 2025 to 2030. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: 'The report's findings confirm that travel growth in the Middle East is incredibly strong, with annual growth averaging more than 7 per cent through 2030. Bold national visions, game-changing developments, and enhanced connectivity are some of the key factors driving this momentum.' Underscoring the Middle East's strong position in global tourism, inbound travel from outside the region is set to grow by 13 per cent annually up to 2030 and outbound business travel forecast to surge at 9 per cent per year. European source markets make up 50% of all leisure travel to the Middle East, with India and the United Kingdom the top two inbound international leisure source markets. China is also a critical market, ranking third by value with leisure spend expected to increase by 130% by 2030. Furthermore, tourism nights by visitors from Asia Pacific and Africa, are expected to increase by over 100% between now and 2030. For outbound travel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt dominate regional flows, while Thailand and the United Kingdom lead as preferred long-haul destinations. The four largest airlines in the region – Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Saudia – have placed nearly 780 aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus, representing major expansions to their existing fleets. This significant investment underscores the region's strategic focus on becoming a global aviation hub and meeting rising passenger demand over the coming decade. The Middle East's rise as a global hub for business events is another key highlight of the report, which states that spending on Middle East business travel will grow 1.5 times faster than the global average through to 2030. The region's strategic location at the centre of Asia, Africa, and Europe supports business and leisure travel, with the latter on a particularly strong trajectory for growth. The sector plays a vital role in developing the region's reputation for hosting major events. It is expected to experience the second-fastest rate of business travel growth among all global regions, underscoring the increased potential for combining business and leisure travel, or 'bleisure'. Curtis commented: 'At ATM 2025, we recognised the industry's hunger for innovation in travel technology as well as the rising demand for business travel across the region. In response, we launched two dynamic new zones, IBTM@ATM and the Innovation Zone, designed to empower our growing audience to shape the future of travel with the speed and scale our exciting industry demands.' The region is also witnessing unprecedented growth in luxury and lifestyle tourism, attracting a new generation of high-net-worth travellers, drawn to exceptional Middle East hospitality, curated experiences and premium cultural events. According to the report global spending on luxury leisure hospitality is expected to continue growing briskly reaching over US$390 billion by 2028. 'Travellers drawn to the Middle East tend to spend more on travel overall, nearly 60% habitually spending on luxury experiences while travelling compared to under 40% among travellers who favour other destinations,' added Curtis. Of the more than 170 luxury hotel properties in the Middle East, nearly 100 are situated Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with 22 currently in development. With several luxury properties in the pipeline among Saudi Arabia's Giga projects, the region will continue to serve as a preferred destination for luxury and leisure travellers. Following in the footsteps of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and Dubai Expo 2020, the Middle East region has a proven track record for successfully hosting high-profile entertainment and sports events. According to the ATM Travel Trends report, the strong appetite for sports tourism in the region will lead to a potential growth rate of 63% in the coming years, with the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia set to continue this momentum. According to the report, golf, motorsports, football, cycling, and esports are all benefiting from heightened visibility and investment in the region. This surge in sporting and entertainment events is significantly boosting the travel industry, driving increased demand for hotel stays, flights, and related services, creating a ripple effect that supports broader tourism growth. ATM is the leading international travel and tourism event held annually in Dubai. It plays a vital role in shaping the future of global travel. Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the 2025 edition welcomed over 55,000 industry professionals from 166 countries, achieving year-on-year growth of 16%. The next edition will take place from May 4-7, 2026. - Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
South Korea's Lee Jae-myung is the right man to deal with Donald Trump
South Koreans went to the polls to choose a new president on Tuesday, and they handed Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party a clear victory with 49.4 per cent of the vote. But even before Mr Lee was sworn in at the country's Parliament the following morning, he appeared to be surrounded by a whirlwind of questions, accusations and warnings. 'The first task facing South Korea's next leader: Handling Trump' was one headline, referring not just to the 25 per cent tariffs Seoul may have to deal with from Washington, but also Mr Lee's willingness to improve relations with China and North Korea, a shift from the very pro-US and Japan outlook of former president Yoon Suk-yeol, who had plunged the country into chaos by briefly declaring martial law last December. It may indeed be quite the challenge if Mr Trump listens to one self-appointed adviser, the hardcore Maga activist Laura Loomer, who posted on X: 'RIP South Korea. The communists have taken over and won the presidential election today. This is terrible.' Mr Lee faces a country with deep political divides, and the two other candidates, both on the right, won a combined total of just over 50 per cent. So even though the election was widely seen as being driven by anger at Mr Yoon's self-implosion – for which he was impeached, arrested and driven from office – which hindered the candidacy of Kim Moon-soo, who is from the same People Power Party as Mr Yoon, 'the conservative tally outweighed Lee's support even after the debacle of Yoon's martial law decree', as one analyst put it. Not enough young people support Mr Lee, say some. He faces legal charges – which he says are politically motivated – although they may be suspended until after his five-year term as President ends. Others accuse him of being a showy populist who has used fiery and – they would say – irresponsible rhetoric about US troops stationed in the country. How will he cope with an economy that is 'sputtering'? Oh, and to top it all, he apparently doesn't even have a proper place to work, since Mr Yoon moved the presidential office out of the Blue House, the official residence, to a military compound that none of the candidates said they liked. There are other ways to look at Mr Lee's victory, of course. The 6 per cent margin of his win over Mr Kim was more than emphatic enough in a three-way race, and with his Democratic Alliance partners holding 173 out of the 300 parliamentary seats, there should be none of the logjam between the executive and the legislature that led Mr Yoon to make such a rash (and career-ending) move. Mr Lee has called for 'national unity' and said on election night that he wanted South Korea to be a country 'where we live together with mutual recognition and co-operation rather than hatred and loathing'. All of this should reassure investors, while the new President has a $25 billion stimulus package up his sleeve, plans for labour and corporate governance reforms, and wants to go all-out on stimulating domestic demand. As for Mr Trump, despite Ms Loomer's wild characterisation of Mr Lee as a 'communist' – the adjectives 'liberal' and 'centrist' are more commonly preferred – the two leaders may be more likely to hit it off than some have suggested. They are both populists: Mr Lee made a point of being filmed when he climbed over barriers to enter the National Assembly to vote against Mr Yoon's imposition of martial law last December, and he has been referred to as 'Korea's Bernie Sanders', but also as 'Korea's Trump', for his candid speech and ability to connect with the grassroots. On North Korea, if Mr Trump enters negotiations with Pyongyang again, as he did during his first term, the two could be very in tune. In fact, this February Mr Lee's party sent a letter to the Nobel Committee urging them to nominate Mr Trump for this year's peace prize in the hope that he 'continue his peace-building efforts during his second term', as a party official put it. That was a canny move that will surely have been brought to Mr Trump's attention. Both men have survived assassination attempts. Mr Lee was stabbed in the neck in January 2024 and was airlifted to hospital. Just like Mr Trump, Mr Lee drew inspiration from his survival, saying: 'Since my life was saved by our people, I will dedicate the rest of it solely to serving them.' And when it comes to trade discussions with the US, not only has Mr Lee said it is 'the most important issue' for him, after 'overcoming people's hardships and recovering from the current turmoil', but he seems prepared both to stand his ground and to show the US President whatever deference is required. 'Diplomacy between independent countries can be mutually beneficial,' Mr Lee said on Korean radio last Monday. 'We have plenty of cards to play. There's room to give and take, and that's what we must do well.' Asked how he would react to tough words from Mr Trump, Mr Lee was ready. 'That's just the way powerful countries operate,' he said. 'Any humiliation or pressure is not about me personally – it's about the entire nation. If it's necessary, I'll crawl under his legs. What's the big deal?' So for sure, Mr Lee faces challenges. But with a clear mandate, allies dominating Parliament, and being seen as the person bringing back stability after the tumult of the past six months, he has a lot going for him too. Navigating better relations with China while maintaining the treaty alliance with the US won't perhaps be easy, but he won't be the only leader having to thread that needle. Above all, his pragmatism may end up being his greatest strength. Take his concluding words about his possible approach to Mr Trump: 'An hour of the president's time is worth 52 million hours of the Korean people's time,' he said. 'If the president has to bend briefly so that 52 million people can stand tall, then that's what must be done.'
Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Trump calls China's Xi tough, 'hard to make a deal with'
U.S. President Donald Trump called China's Xi Jinping tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with" on Wednesday, exposing frictions after the White House raised expectations for a long-awaited phone call between the two leaders this week. "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," Trump said in a social media post. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Monday Trump would likely speak with Xi this week to iron out differences over last month's tariff agreement in Geneva, including the handling of critical minerals. Trump's early morning post on Truth Social did not bode well for a speedy resolution of their differences. Leavitt was the third top Trump aide to forecast an imminent call between the leaders of the two largest global economies, but Xi has proved an elusive interlocutor. China said in April that the two leaders had not had a conversation recently. A U.S. trade court last week ruled that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act. Less than 24 hours later, a federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs, saying it was pausing the trade court ruling to consider the government's appeal.
