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
Tourism to Dubai up nearly 200% this year The Expo 2020 Dubai provided a big boost as the Emirati city continues to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt looks for upsurge in tourists from sanctions-hit Russia Cairo and Moscow are holding talks to allow the Russian payment system MIR in Red Sea resorts. Egypt
Israel expects post-COVID tourism rebound this summer Israeli experts do not expect tourism to reach this summer the record level of 2019, but they certainly notice a trend of increase on both outbound and incoming tourism. Israel
Egypt uses augmented reality to promote medical tourism Egypt’s General Authority for Health Care announced the use of metaverse technology to promote its medical tourism project as the country’s tourism sector is trying to compensate for the losses incurred during the coronavirus pandemic, and most recently the Russian war on Ukraine. Egypt
Iran and Iraq sign tourism deal The agreement follows protests of Iranian “interference” after a drone attack targeted an alleged Israeli spy base in northern Iraq. Iran
Venezuela’s Maduro receives warm welcome in Turkey Turkey and Venezuela have good relations, much to the chagrin of the United States. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Jewish pilgrimage to Tunisian island stirs calls for criminalizing normalization with Israel The annual Jewish pilgrimage to El-Ghriba synagogue in Tunisia has rekindled the popular and political debate over the issuance of a law criminalizing normalization with Israel. Tunisia
Egypt looks to Gulf to revive tourism sector affected by Russian-Ukrainian war Egypt is seeking to increase Arab tourism from the Gulf at a time when this vital sector has struggled to overcome the recession it suffered with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Egypt
Egyptian mission unearths 85 tombs, temple for Isis goddess in Upper Egypt An Egyptian archaeological mission has discovered a tower house, in addition to the remains of a Ptolemaic temple and about 85 tombs dating back to different periods from the end of the Old Kingdom until the end of the Ptolemaic period in Sohag, southern Egypt. Egypt
Egyptians outraged over Israeli festivals in Sinai Two music festivals organized by Israel in the Sinai Peninsula have raised the ire of Egyptians as they coincided with the anniversary of the liberation of Sinai. Egypt
Egypt hopes Israeli tourists will make up losses from Ukraine war At a time when Egypt’s tourism sector has suffered a setback due to the war in Ukraine, the first direct flight from Israel is set to land in Sharm el-Sheikh this month, which may boost the number of Israeli tourists in the Egyptian coastal resorts in the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt
Director reveals Egypt missed out on 'Moon Knight' because of permits Egyptian director Mohamed Diab, the first Arab to direct a Marvel production, has criticized his country’s bureaucracy and intervention by multiple authorities in obtaining licenses to film international productions on Egyptian soil. Egypt
