Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid airport sets record with 3.9M passengers in July Air travel is a part of the Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy, though challenges remain in attracting tourists and catching up to other Gulf airports. Saudi Arabia
Mideast airlines see 0.4% dip amid Iran, Gaza wars, as global demand up 2.6% Conflict-related airspace closures and regional tensions disrupted airlines based in the Middle East. Iran
Wildfires spread across Turkey’s tourism hub Izmir amid regionwide heat wave Wildfires rage in Turkey’s tourist heartland, forcing airport closures and evacuations amid fierce winds. Turkey
From Lebanon to Qatar, Israel-Iran war disrupts flights, airport traffic: What to know Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines canceled all flights to Iraq through Thursday as the ongoing Israel-Iran war forces widespread disruptions across Middle East aviation. Israel
Israeli ministers fast-track deepening of ties with Morocco Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Freij and Justice Minister Gideon Saar are only a few of the Israeli ministers and senior officials who have visited Morocco recently. Israel
Lavender ecotourism throws lifeline to rural Lebanese villages As Lebanon experiences a tourism hike this summer, rural villages and attractions hope to draw tourists away from the capital with the help of ecotourism companies. A day spent discovering lavender in the south is one example. Lebanon
US urges Israel to expedite legislation needed for visa waiver A senior official at the US Embassy in Jerusalem warned that if the Knesset waits until after the Nov. 1 elections to pass legislation required for the American visa-waiver plan, the wait for entering the program could be very long. Israel
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project to bring huge investments to Egypt Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said his country will invest in Sharm el-Sheikh as part of $500 billion NEOM project. Egypt
Israel tightens ties with Uzbekistan The recently signed agreement over Uzbeki nursing staff traveling to Israel only highlights the rapid growth in economic, diplomatic and cultural relations between the two countries. Israel
West Bank hosts first digital tourism hackathon For the first time, Palestinians hold a digital tourism hackathon to develop innovative solutions to the problems facing the tourism industry. Palestine
Life returns to shores of northern Sinai Peninsula The northern Sinai governorate has opened the beach in Sheikh Zuweid for residents to vacation and picnic for the first time in more than eight years after terrorist operations and the army’s military response to them. Egypt
Will Tunisia, Algeria relations recover through land border reopening? Several issues, including gas and the dispute over the Western Sahara, continue to linger over the tense Algerian-Tunisian relations, despite the reopening of the land borders between the two countries. North Africa
Egyptian tourists unwelcome in south Sinai as Israelis visit in droves Israeli tourists are flocking to south Sinai while Egyptians are being forced to turn back, in violation of the law and the constitution. Egypt
Israel, US sign agreement to facilitate visa waiver program Israeli and American representatives have signed an information-sharing agreement needed for Israel to join the US Visa Waiver program, but the hurdle of Knesset approval remains. Israel
Egypt to turn ancient government building into hotel The Egyptian government is implementing a project to repurpose one of the oldest and most famous buildings in downtown Cairo into a mixed-use development building to achieve profits and boost tourism. Egypt
YouTube influencers discover Iraq The most famous content producers on YouTube, including artists, media professionals, and other prominent social media figures, recently visited Iraq. Iraq
