The topic of longevity is more than a fad; the desire for a long life has been around since the dawn of human history, but lately, it has become a modern-world obsession. Fuelled by high-profile figures such as tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, whose Netflix documentary records his quest to challenge mortality, as well as by other media and social pressures, the wish to live forever has gone mainstream.

For most would-be Bryan Johnsons, investing millions of dollars into such an extreme and intricate regimen just isn’t an option – but there is no doubt that tech advances are paving the way for us all to gain the one thing that is never promised: time. From NAD boosters to oxygen and red-light therapy, genetic and microbiome testing, regenerative therapies and biohacking to levels we never thought possible… aids to longevity come in myriad shapes, sizes and molecular makeup.

Scientifically, these things work. But we also need to look at longevity through a different lens: while the industry is full of research-driven, pioneering medicines, treatments and screenings, when you strip longevity back to its essence, the impact of mental health is key.

While extending life has become both a scientific frontier and a cultural phenomenon, the important question that we need to ask is this: to what extent can technology help us live forever, if the mind isn’t ‘in’?

Mental health is a central pillar of healthy ageing – which isn’t just about how long you live, but how well you live. More and more, research shows that our emotional and psychological wellbeing is deeply intertwined with our physical health and, consequently, our ability to age well.

An estimated 80 per cent of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, are preventable through lifestyle. That umbrella term includes diet and exercise, yes, but also stress management, sleep quality, social connections and purpose – all core components of mental health.

Lifestyle is the sum of people’s habits

Each person’s lifestyle is the sum of their habits, which drive their choices and behaviour (often subconsciously) and are driven by their mental state. Good mental health creates constructive habits and thus, a healthier lifestyle.

Poor mental health is both a cause and symptom of unhealthy, self-destructive behaviours that can become embedded as habits, driving a lifestyle that will almost certainly reduce longevity.

While the human brain has a remarkable capacity to create new (and positive) habits, poor mental health can make it significantly more difficult to change bad habits and to maintain good ones. Put simply, mental health is a prerequisite for a healthy lifestyle.

Despite all of the pioneering science behind longevity, it is apparent that lifestyle habits are key to a longer, healthier life – and can add up to 20 years to your life. Good mental health and the ability to master behavioural shifts are imperative to prolonging healthspan.

Underlining the impact that mental health has on ageing, a landmark study by Harvard, one of the longest-running in history, found that robust social connections were the strongest predictor of a longer, healthier life.

Participants who reported feeling happier and more connected were not only healthier but lived significantly longer than those who felt isolated.

We also know that chronic stress or anxiety accelerates cellular ageing, disrupts immune function and contributes to inflammation, all of which are known drivers of age-related diseases.

Practices that foster mental wellbeing by reducing stress, such as mindfulness, psychotherapy, somatic movement and yoga, can slow biological ageing and promote neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and grow throughout life.

Relationship between a healthy mind and a sound body

With this growing understanding of the profound relationship between a healthy mind and a physically sound body, the longevity narrative today is shifting toward mental wellness as a proactive strategy in the science of ageing.

Longevity isn’t just about adding years to your life; it’s about adding life to your years, and it means investing in yourself. This may not come in the form of cutting-edge biotech, but in the real fundamentals – particularly one’s mental health: building emotional resilience, meaningful relationships and psychological wellbeing.

The most advanced tool we have for ageing well may not be a futuristic pill or a cryo-chamber but the human mind itself.

Dr Antoinette Sarasin is the director of Precision Medicine, a member of the Board of Directors, and founder of the Biomolecular Restoration Method at The Kusnacht Practice.

As Dubai continues to cement its status as one of the world’s most coveted New Year’s Eve destinations, guest expectations are evolving in ways that are reshaping how hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues approach the year’s biggest celebration. What was once defined by fireworks and parties has transformed into something far more curated, deliberate, and experience-driven, signalling a broader shift in consumer behaviour that hospitality leaders are watching closely.

Across premium hotel brands and centrally located properties, industry executives say guests are no longer satisfied with a single moment of celebration. Instead, they are seeking multi-layered experiences that combine luxury, personalisation, prime location, and time, turning New Year’s Eve into a carefully planned season rather than a one-night event.

Read more-From reservations to festivities: The business of Dubai hotels’ New Year frenzy

Guest expectations around New Year’s amenities, entertainment, and services have changed noticeably over the years. According to hospitality leaders, today’s travellers are looking well beyond traditional festivities, placing greater value on experiences that feel personal, memorable, and meaningful.

“There’s a growing emphasis on creating unique moments that align with current trends,” said Pranav Vohra, cluster commercial director, IHG Hotels at Dubai Festival City. “Whether that’s through tailored dining experiences, interactive entertainment, or even wellness options, guests are more selective about how they want to spend their time.”

Luxury and quality remain non-negotiable, but what differentiates one New Year’s offering from another is the sense of curation. Guests increasingly expect services that cater to individual preferences while still delivering scale and spectacle. “It’s about offering a celebration that feels curated to them, something beyond the usual countdown,” Vohra added, noting that staying ahead of these shifts has become central to how properties design their festive programming.

Guest priorities defined

Among the various New Year’s Eve experiences available in Dubai, dining has emerged as one of the strongest drivers of guest decision-making. According to industry executives, guests are no longer booking dinners as an add-on to the night; instead, dining itself has become the centerpiece of the celebration.

“People want more than just a meal; they’re looking for something exceptional,” Vohra said. “Whether it’s a unique culinary journey or an immersive dining experience that ties into the celebration.”

Alongside dining, fireworks remain a critical draw, particularly for properties offering iconic vantage points. Views of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Festival City continue to be a major attraction, with guests prioritising front-row access to the city’s most recognisable New Year’s moments.

Live entertainment and parties remain in high demand, but the common thread across all experiences is memorability. “Guests want experiences that they’ll remember long after the night ends,” Vohra explained. “Whether it’s enjoying a gourmet dinner, watching the fireworks, or taking part in an exclusive event, guests want experiences that blend excitement with exclusivity.”

High-energy celebrations and refined luxury coexist

Rather than choosing one dominant style of celebration, guests are increasingly split between high-energy social environments and quieter, luxury-focused experiences. This dual demand has prompted hotels to diversify their offerings to ensure broad appeal.

At Dubai Festival City, this range is reflected in distinct venues catering to different preferences. High-energy celebrations find an outlet in lively spaces such as Belgian Café Dubai Festival City, while refined, sophisticated experiences are offered at Pierre’s TT. Venues like Vista cater to guests seeking a bar-led atmosphere with music and cocktails, while Anise and Sirocco attract families looking for relaxed yet festive dining environments.

“Whatever the preference, we ensure guests have an unforgettable experience,” Vohra said, emphasising that flexibility and choice have become essential to meeting modern guest expectations.

Booking windows are moving earlier

As New Year’s Eve in Dubai grows in global prominence, guest booking behavior has also shifted. According to Thomas Kurian, general manager of LEVA Hotels, demand now begins building much earlier than it once did.

“Guests typically begin booking their New Year stays two months in advance,” Kurian said, pointing to a clear trend toward earlier planning in recent years. This shift is driven by heightened awareness of Dubai’s New Year celebrations and a desire to secure prime hotel locations close to Downtown Dubai.

Families and international visitors, in particular, are booking earlier to ensure convenience, comfort, and proximity to key attractions. The trend reflects a more deliberate and strategic approach to travel planning, especially during one of the city’s busiest periods.

Space, location, and comfort drive room demand

When it comes to accommodation choices, space has become a defining factor. Larger rooms and suites are consistently the most sought-after categories during the New Year period.

“Guests show a strong preference for our family-friendly rooms and suites, as they offer added comfort, flexibility, and space to relax,” Kurian said. The favorable winter weather further enhances demand, encouraging guests to explore the city and participate in outdoor celebrations.

Central location remains another decisive factor. Proximity to Downtown Dubai, with easy access to festivities, shopping, and dining, continues to influence booking decisions. Room categories that combine space, practical design, centrality, and seasonal appeal are emerging as clear winners during the New Year rush.

New Year staycations are drawing a refined mix of international travelers, GCC visitors, and UAE residents, particularly at properties positioned within the heart of the city.

At The St. Regis Downtown Dubai, the New Year period has become an annual tradition for many guests. “Couples seeking a glamorous celebration, families wanting effortless access to festive attractions, and groups of friends drawn to Downtown’s energy all choose us because the environment feels both intimate and iconic,” said Saurav Puri, multi-property general manager.

The property’s location along the Dubai Water Canal and its outdoor New Year’s Eve celebration overlooking the Burj Khalifa fireworks have made it one of the city’s most sought-after vantage points. This appeal is reflected directly in its guest mix, reinforcing the hotel’s positioning as a central player in Dubai’s festive economy.

From one night to a full season

Perhaps the most telling shift in guest behavior is the length of stay. Short, one-night New Year bookings are rapidly disappearing, replaced by longer, experience-focused visits.

“We’re seeing a clear shift toward longer stays,” Puri said. UAE and GCC residents are now booking three to four nights, while international travellers are extending their visits to five to seven nights. “Today’s guests want more than a countdown, they want the entire pre- and post-celebration journey.”

As a result, New Year’s Eve in Dubai has evolved into a season rather than a single event. “New Year is no longer just a night; it has become a season,” Puri said, adding that this transformation reflects Dubai’s emergence as a global cultural destination for year-end celebrations.

For hotels and hospitality operators, this shift represents both an opportunity and a challenge, one that demands thoughtful programming, strategic pricing, and experiences that resonate long after the fireworks fade.

The inaugural World Sports Summit kicks off in Dubai on Monday, December 29, bringing together over 1,500 participants from the global sports sector.

Organised by the Dubai Sports Council under the theme “Uniting the World Through Sport”, the two-day summit, held at Madinat Jumeirah, aims to provide a platform to discuss the future of sports, honour athletes, and promote initiatives that support emerging talent worldwide.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “Dubai welcomes guests and participants of the World Sports Summit, including global sports leaders, presidents of international federations and organisations, investors, decision-makers, and athletes from across disciplines, who will come together over two days to discuss the current state and future of sport worldwide and its role in developing societies and empowering communities.”

Sheikh Hamdan added: “This first-of-its-kind sports summit, originating in the UAE, will bring together sports leaders, specialists and individuals with proven leadership and professional expertise from across the global sports sector.

“The summit will serve as a global platform for dialogue on sports development and for shaping its future through effective strategic initiatives, legislation and agreements.”

Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, president of the UAE National Olympic Committee and chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, said the event will convene leaders from sports organisations, international federations, major clubs, companies, and top athletes to share insights on challenges, development prospects, and growth opportunities in the sector.

“The World Sports Summit will include dialogue sessions, workshops, seminars, and meetings that will shed light on the current state of global sports,” Sheikh Mansoor said, adding that it will inspire future generations and strengthen support for promising talents across different disciplines.

World Sports Summit to feature inspirational panels and keynote speeches

The summit will feature 70 speakers, including renowned athletes, coaches, and administrative leaders. Monday’s programme opens with speeches by Khalfan Juma Belhoul, vice chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, presenting “The Next 90 Minutes.”

Other highlights include speeches by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, president of Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, and panels featuring Novak Djokovic, Ons Jabeur, and Paula Badosa.

A discussion moderated by former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch will feature Nasser Al Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain and Chairman of the European Club Association.

The day also includes panels with boxing legends Manny Pacquiao and Oleksandr Usyk, former NBA players turned managers, and football icon Ronaldo Nazario. UAE Minister of Sports Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi will also address the summit.

Watch the live stream of the summit here.

Second day highlights at the summit

Tuesday’s programme will feature nine sessions, starting with MMA star Khabib Nurmagomedov on the future of combat sports, moderated by Rio Ferdinand.

Football legends Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, and Baggio’s daughter Valentina will discuss careers and sports management.

Additional sessions include American football stars Reggie Bush, Baron Davis, Marquez Colston, and Swin Cash, exploring the intersection of playing and sports administration.

Another panel will examine the role of sports in fashion, with participants including Jamie Wynne of Jimmy Choo, Victor Cruz, and Michael Utley of AC Milan.

The summit will close with a EuroLeague-focused session featuring Abdullah Al Naboodah, founder of the Dubai Basketball Club, French basketball legend Tony Parker, and EuroLeague CEO Paulios Mottijonas.

The World Sports Summit marks Dubai’s first global gathering of its kind, aiming to combine elite athletic talent with industry leadership to shape the future of international sports.

India’s civil aviation regulator has granted approvals for three new airlines to enter the domestic market, a move seen as a strategic response to recent operational disruptions at the country’s largest carrier and longstanding concerns about market concentration. According to Indian media reports, Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress have received no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, setting the stage for expanded competition and capacity in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.

The approvals, confirmed by Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu on social media, come in the aftermath of widespread flight cancellations and scheduling turmoil at IndiGo earlier this month that left tens of thousands of passengers stranded. That episode, widely covered in Indian media, exposed structural vulnerabilities in a market where a few carriers dominate capacity and routes.

Read: IndiGo shares plunge 7.5% as staffing crisis triggers mass cancellations

The three new entrants vary in profile and planned focus. Uttar Pradesh-based Shankh Air, which had already secured its NOC, is targeting an early 2026 launch with regional operations centered on underserved northern routes. Al Hind Air, backed by the Kerala-based Alhind Group, intends to begin services from Kochi using ATR turboprops to strengthen intra-regional connectivity. FlyExpress is positioning itself as a domestic low-fare carrier with ambitions to serve both passenger and freight segments from Telangana. All three airlines will still need to complete regulatory and operational milestones before commercial services begin.

For industry stakeholders, the government’s intervention marks a clear shift toward diversifying India’s airline ecosystem and reducing reliance on legacy players. Currently, the domestic market is heavily concentrated, with IndiGo alone holding more than 60 per cent of capacity and the combined IndiGo/Air India Group duopoly accounting for over 90 per cent of traffic. That dominance has drawn scrutiny from regulators and corporate travel planners alike.

Market analysts say that bringing in new carriers could help ease price volatility and capacity shortages that emerged during the IndiGo disruption, while also stimulating investment in regional airports and feeder routes. For Gulf businesses with aviation ties, whether through aircraft leasing, hospitality, logistics or corporate travel procurement, the emergence of new Indian carriers presents both risk and opportunity. Increased competition could drive demand for ancillary services, ground handling partnerships and expanded interline agreements with Gulf-based airlines. Additionally, domestic Indian growth often feeds outbound international travel, with the Gulf region a key destination for Indian tourists, business travellers and migrant workers.

The ministry has framed its latest approvals as part of a broader policy to expand airline participation under initiatives such as UDAN, India’s regional connectivity scheme. Government and industry observers will be watching closely in 2026 as these carriers ramp up operations and test their ability to compete sustainably in a complex and capital-intensive sector.

Enterprises across the Middle East and beyond are accelerating investments in automation and artificial intelligence, yet many continue to struggle with a familiar challenge: converting promising pilot projects into sustained, enterprise-wide return on investment. According to Daniel Dines, founder and CEO of UiPath, the problem is rarely a lack of ambition or technology capability. Instead, it stems from how organisations approach scale, governance, and orchestration across the enterprise.

“One of the biggest challenges in scaling automation comes from approaching automation as siloed, point deployments rather than an opportunity to orchestrate complex systems all over the organisation,” Dines said. While individual departments may focus on optimising their own workflows, he noted that many processes across finance, operations, customer service, and compliance share common, repeatable steps. “Focusing on only one deployment can solve a single problem, but misses the opportunity to automate similar ones across the business.”

Another common pitfall is the selection of low-impact use cases. “Another common mistake is picking a use case with low impact or diluted, unsustainable ROI, making it hard to see the value of automation,” Dines said. This can leave automation initiatives vulnerable to budget scrutiny, particularly in uncertain macroeconomic conditions.

As organisations move beyond traditional robotic process automation towards agentic AI, these challenges become even more pronounced. “There’s a crucial factor needed to truly unlock scale—orchestration, the coordination of all these processes and workflows across the organisation,” Dines said. With AI agents increasingly introduced into enterprise environments, the need for orchestration grows. “Ensuring that employees, robots, and AI agents each operate on the types of work they are best suited to handle” is becoming central to enterprise automation strategies.

UiPath’s response has been to focus on a unified platform approach rather than fragmented deployments. “UiPath helps organisations solve these challenges by providing a unified platform for agentic automation, orchestration, and governance,” Dines said. “Instead of managing automation in fragments, you can orchestrate AI agents, robots, and humans end-to-end using a centralised control plane.”

The platform’s ability to support complex, high-value workflows has been a key differentiator, particularly in industries with heavy regulatory and operational demands. Dines pointed to pre-built agents and orchestration for processes such as claims, loans, disputes, and investigations as examples of where automation can deliver measurable business impact at scale.

These capabilities were highlighted during GITEX and UiPath’s FUSION Dubai event, where the company showcased regional customer success stories, including Etihad Airways, e&, and RAKBANK. According to Dines, these organisations are moving beyond experimentation to elevate their automation programmes with agentic AI.

CFO-led approach

As automation matures, Dines sees a shift in executive ownership, with the CFO increasingly emerging as a central sponsor. “CFOs are natural champions of automation because they think in terms of end-to-end outcomes that deliver bottom-line impact, not isolated tasks,” he said. Finance leaders also tend to operate in highly regulated environments and are often at the forefront of digital transformation initiatives, making them well positioned to drive enterprise-scale automation.

A clear example of this CFO-led approach can be seen in UiPath’s work with Canon. The company was facing a significant operational challenge driven by an influx of up to 5,000 vendor invoices each month, many of which were paper-based and contained complex data such as date ranges, serial numbers, meter readings, and variable charges. Processing these invoices manually was both time-consuming and inefficient, particularly given their low individual value.

“In less than nine months after deploying the UiPath Platform, Canon processed about 40,000 invoices, or about 4,500 monthly,” Dines said. While the initial goal was to achieve 75% straight-through processing, the results exceeded expectations. “The team initially had a goal of processing 75 per cent without human intervention, but achieved about 90% straight-through processing during that time period.”

For Dines, the significance of the Canon case extends beyond a single customer success story. “Their story is impactful, but the challenge they faced is not unique to only their business,” he said. “Every global or large organisation has a paper-driven, operationally intensive process like invoicing, procure-to-pay, or claims processes where the sheer amount of manual work involved has real revenue impact.”

This insight has shaped UiPath’s product strategy. “This is what drove us to create purpose-built solutions for automating large-scale, end-to-end processes that dominate the CFO’s world,” Dines said. By combining agents, workflow automation, and full orchestration, UiPath aims to simplify the application of agentic automation across specific industries and business workflows, accelerating time-to-value.

The Middle East presents both opportunity and complexity for automation at scale, with many enterprises operating large, legacy environments alongside modern digital platforms. Dines said UiPath has made targeted investments to support regional requirements. “The Middle East is a strategic growth region for us, and we are investing accordingly,” he said.

Automation Cloud

At GITEX, UiPath announced the expansion of its UAE footprint with the launch of Automation Cloud integrated with Microsoft Azure, a move designed to strengthen in-region access to agentic AI, UiPath Test Cloud, and other platform capabilities. “This move also reinforces our commitment to meeting data residency and sovereign policy requirements, which are critical for both public- and private-sector customers,” Dines said.

The company has also opened an office in Riyadh to support Saudi Vision 2030, ensuring local presence for enterprises and public-sector institutions. “The UAE and Saudi Arabia are among our fastest-growing markets globally,” Dines said, adding that UiPath’s regional infrastructure complements its global footprint across the US, Europe, Japan, India, and Singapore.

As AI-driven automation becomes more intelligent, Dines emphasised that UiPath’s strategy remains firmly human-centric. “Agentic automation is not just about efficiency; it’s about restoring meaning to, and elevating the impact of, human work,” he said. While customers are realising productivity gains, the broader objective is to free employees to focus on higher-value, more fulfilling tasks.

In the region, UiPath has partnered with the UAE AI Office to advance national AI objectives and launched the Saudi Digital Academy Bootcamp to build local automation and AI skills. “Change management and workforce development isn’t an afterthought; it’s built into how we deploy, train, and scale,” Dines said. “For us at UiPath, technology should amplify human potential, not replace it.”

Trust and governance are also becoming decisive factors as enterprises deploy AI in sensitive workflows. UiPath’s partnership with NVIDIA focuses on delivering “trusted agentic automation for sensitive workflows” through a new integration service connector. The collaboration enables enterprises to integrate generative AI features into applications while extending automation into on-premises and air-gapped environments — a critical requirement for regulated industries.

“In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which are exciting growth markets for us, the demand for secure, in-region infrastructure is accelerating adoption, especially in government, BFSI, and healthcare,” Dines said. He added that the combination of UiPath’s UAE data centre, NVIDIA’s trusted AI infrastructure, and UiPath’s ISO/IEC 42001 certification for AI management systems provides enterprises with the confidence to scale responsibly.

“This isn’t just about faster adoption,” Dines said. “It’s about responsible adoption at enterprise scale.”