The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today revealed that the Middle East is experiencing strong Travel & Tourism growth, with the sector expanding by 5.3% in 2025, outpacing the global average of 4.1% and reinforcing the region’s position as one of the world’s most dynamic travel markets. WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), a leading global study of Travel & Tourism performance, highlights the region’s strong performance across key indicators, including international visitor spending, domestic travel, and business travel.

PKFARE, a leading global travel wholesaler, today announced the launch of a flight + hotel packaging partnership with Wano, a B2B travel distribution platform, and AirAsia MOVE, a leading online travel agency (OTA) in Asean – both under Capital A’s portfolio of businesses. This collaboration marks PKFARE’s expansion into hotel packaging services. Under the collaboration, Wano manages distribution of flights and AirAsia MOVE drives consumer demand, while PKFARE powers the underlying technology infrastructure that integrates inventory, pricing, and real-time packaging capabilities into a unified system.

dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, a vibrant all-inclusive lifestyle resort operated by Dusit Hotels and Resorts and located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, has unveiled Feydhoo Hall, a new multi-purpose events venue designed to support the growing demand for destination weddings, corporate retreats, and group travel experiences in the Maldives. As the country continues to diversify beyond traditional leisure travel, the destination welcomed a record 2.25 million international visitors in 2025, underscoring its global appeal and creating new opportunities to expand into niche MICE segments such as incentive travel, curated group experiences, and small corporate gatherings. Feydhoo Hall has been developed to cater to this shift.

Since its opening, Four Seasons Resort Marrakech has been dedicated to offering an oasis of serenity where luxury is defined by space, service, and a profound connection to the ancient city. Today, this journey reaches a new milestone with the receipt of the Green Key certification, an international eco-label that recognizes the establishment’s ongoing commitment to responsible hospitality.

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, and All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (ANA), Japan’s largest airline, today announced a comprehensive loyalty partnership, setting a new benchmark for hotel-airline loyalty collaboration in the travel industry. Launching after October, IHG One Rewards and ANA Mileage Club (AMC) members will gain access to benefits including an enhanced loyalty and recognition offer for AMC members, double dip points-earning on select ANA flights, and two-way points exchange of ANA miles and IHG One Rewards points. Through this partnership, members can earn and redeem rewards across ANA’s extensive international network serving 40 cities and 55 routes worldwide, as well as across IHG’s global hotel portfolio of over 7,000 hotels in more than 100 countries.

InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach – part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury & lifestyle portfolio – continues to redefine Sydney’s beachfront experience, unveiling the final chapter of its multi-million-dollar transformation. Continuing the brand’s legacy as a pioneer of luxury hospitality for over 80 years, the reimagined InterContinental hotel is now open with an ocean-facing infinity pool and terrace, Club InterContinental lounge, and pickleball courts, with the highly anticipated Èliva Spa set to follow in early May.

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has entered into long-term franchise agreements for 11 hotels across Germany, Belgium and France. The hotels will be converted to IHG’s Holiday Inn, voco and Garner brands, bringing more choice to IHG’s guests across Europe. Germany: 6 hotels (1,125 rooms) across key destinations such as, Leipzig, Bremen and Wiesbaden Belgium: 4 hotels (497 rooms), including Brussels Airport and Brussels City Centre France: 1 hotel (186 rooms), conveniently located at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport This portfolio will debut Garner, IHG’s midscale conversion brand, in Belgium, and strengthen IHG’s portfolio in Germany to almost 50 open hotels for this brand.