Tetr College secures $18m for US, Europe and Dubai growth

Tetr has recorded strong growth in its second year, with applications increasing by more than 50 per cent

14 November, 2025

Tetr College secures $18m for US, Europe and Dubai growth

Tetr College, the first-of-its-kind global business school, has raised $18m in a funding round co-led by Owl Ventures and Bertelsmann India Investments (BII). The new capital will support the development of three international campuses in the United States, Europe and Dubai, while strengthening the school’s ten-country operating network across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Tetr will also expand its academic portfolio with new programmes in management and entrepreneurship, including the recently launched Masters in Management and Technology (MiM-Tech). With support from Owl Ventures and Bertelsmann, the institution plans to leverage a global ecosystem of education innovators — including MasterClass, Newsela, Degreed, Labster, Relias, Alliant International University and Eruditus — to extend its global reach.

Established in 2024 by Pratham Mittal, Tetr College delivers a global undergraduate programme built around its ‘Learn by Doing’ model, where students launch ventures across multiple continents and study at institutions such as IIT (India), NUS (Singapore) and Cornell (USA). The faculty includes professors from Harvard, Stanford, MIT and Cornell, alongside senior industry leaders from organisations such as NASA and SoftBank India. Building on its undergraduate success, Tetr has also introduced a one-year Master in Management (MiM) programme aimed at early-career professionals, aspiring founders, successors of family-owned businesses, and international students seeking practical, venture-oriented learning.

Pratham Mittal, founder of Tetr College, said, “Tetr was conceived as a truly global school for entrepreneurship, built as a lived experience across countries and markets. This round, backed by the world’s leading education investors, validates our model and demonstrates our strength in attracting premier global talent across students, practitioners and ecosystem partners. We now move into the next orbit of growth with high-tech campuses in the US, Europe and Dubai, and an expanded set of courses that will deepen the model and widen academic pathways for our students.”

Tarun Gangwar, co-founder and chief operating officer of Tetr College, added, “This fundraise marks a major leap in Tetr’s global scale-up, allowing us to enhance student experience and operational excellence across our upcoming campuses in the US, Europe, and Dubai. Our focus will be on building robust processes for academic delivery, partnerships, career outcomes, and student services, ensuring every cohort experiences the same level of rigour and quality across all locations.”

Pankaj Makkar, managing director, Bertelsmann India Investments, said, “As the world becomes multi-polar and disruptive innovations in AI reshape jobs and industries, the next generation of education models must evolve, becoming multicultural, adaptive, and focused on new-age skills that prepare truly global professionals. Tetr sits at the centre of that transformation, and we are excited to partner with Pratham and his Management team to build this global education platform from India.”

Tetr has recorded strong growth in its second year, with applications increasing by more than 50 per cent. Responding to rising demand, the college expanded its intake to 200 students from 50 nationalities, while maintaining an acceptance rate of around 2.6 per cent and an average SAT score of roughly 1490. Many students chose Tetr over offers from institutions such as King’s College London, University of Warwick, Northeastern University, UMass Boston, Indiana University Bloomington and the University of Washington. Meanwhile, its inaugural cohort of 110 students launched 44 ventures in their first year, collectively generating more than $324,000 in revenue, with several securing external investment.

Tetr College

How proptech startup Gllit is making property deals as simple as booking a flight

Proptech startup Gllit’s co-founder explains how technology, AI-powered tools, and a growing base of digital-first users are reshaping how property transactions

Neesha Salian

14 November, 2025

How proptech startup Gllit is making property deals as simple as booking a flight

Image: Supplied

Gllit is betting on a new way to buy, sell, and rent property in the UAE — one without agents or commissions. The proptech startup is challenging traditional real estate models with its “direct-to-owner” approach, giving buyers, sellers, and tenants more control, transparency, and savings.

In this interview, Gllit co-founder Smriti Tripati explains how technology, AI-powered tools, and a growing base of digital-first users are reshaping how property transactions happen in one of the world’s most dynamic real estate markets.

Tell us about Gllit’s business model.

Gllit is a proptech company that is pioneering a direct-to-owner model in the UAE that provides enhanced benefits by allowing homebuyers and tenants to connect directly with sellers and landlords.

Gllit’s agent-free model essentially makes real estate transactions more cost effective, efficient, and transparent for everyone by eliminating third-party commissions. We call this the ‘new-gen way’ of buying, selling, and renting property — smarter, simpler, and more transparent for everyone involved.

The ‘new-gen way’ approach is driven by a clear shift in market dynamics where a younger, digitally savvy generation is steadily expanding their market share and redefining expectations.

Gllit is offering a pro-choice and pro-efficiency model that gives people greater control over how they want to sell, buy or rent property. Our company’s vision is fully aligned with the government’s broader goals of supporting the growth of the real estate industry and positioning the UAE as a global leader in real estate innovation and a top destination for property investment.

What are the common pain points property buyers and sellers face in the UAE?

In our conversations with sellers, landlords, homebuyers, and tenants, three things come up in almost every conversation:

Inefficiency — sometimes it can take several days at best to a few weeks to get a simple answer about price, paperwork, or title details.
Lack of expertise to create quality listings — the difference between a property selling or staying invisible often comes down to a lack of marketing expertise.
Cost — This pain point is key as it directly impacts people’s wallets, but it is at the same time often very tricky to balance how to help sellers and landlords maximise profit, while enabling buyers and tenants to pay less. Gllit has unlocked an equitable way to deliver cost efficiencies to all parties through its agent-free model and value-added services
Lack of transparency and information — from unclear fees to inconsistent information between portals and agents.

Sellers for example may have a perfectly good apartment that would stay unsold simply because of poor-quality photos or a vague description. We are helping close that gap by giving sellers the same tools professional marketers use — in seconds, without needing an agency background.

For homebuyers, the biggest pain points we’re helping to solve are related to costs and direct access to property owners. Too often, homebuyers pay more and are unable to get direct answers from owners for the simple reason that the process has intermediaries. Gllit simplifies this by allowing buyers to connect straight with landlords and sellers, negotiate openly, and see the true value of what they’re paying for.

What are the benefits of eliminating middlemen and brokers in property dealing?

The Gllit model is all about empowerment — financially and in having greater control over the process. A typical sale or tenancy transaction involves 2 to 5 per cent in agent commissions, which in some cases can add up to Dhs50,000 to the transaction cost. Going direct gives that value back to the property owner, buyer, or tenant.

And it’s not just about savings. With the direct-to-owner model, people can talk directly and build trust faster. It’s easier to understand each other’s motivations this way, making the process more transparent and personal. We’ve taken this further with go-direct benefit, giving sellers and landlords a clear incentive to transact directly while keeping the overall transaction cost still significantly lower than traditional agent-led deals: a win-win solution for both parties that rewards transparency and efficiency.

For anyone living in the UAE, it is impossible not to appreciate the quality of life and the ease of doing things here, whether it’s opening a business or accessing public services.

Gllit’s tech-led solutions draw inspiration from the government’s own efforts to develop and promote more efficient ways to deliver services, drive innovation, and enhance everyday life.

What was the purpose of building a platform like Gllit?

The idea came from our own experience and frustration watching how much time and money gets lost in what should be a straightforward process.

The UAE government has done an excellent job in transforming the UAE real estate market into one of the most dynamic and attractive investment destinations in the world, and we believe that we can contribute to helping further enhance the appeal of the UAE by introducing an optimised alternative way to buying, selling, or renting property that gets rid of the unnecessary complexities and hidden costs.

We are calling this new approach the “next-gen way” as it is designed to meet expectations of today’s new generation of real estate consumers — basically making it as easy to sell or buy a home as it is to book a flight by removing barriers, automating steps, and making relevant information easily available.

Gllit’s goal is to make real estate transactions more intuitive and less bureaucratic through technology that empowers, but does not overwhelm.

How does Gllit personalise the experience for first-time buyers versus experienced users?

Most people don’t buy or sell a house on a regular basis, so there is a huge chunk of the market who are either first-time sellers or homebuyers or those who simply lack experience and would need hand-holding throughout the entire transaction process. Gllit provides customer-focused support through each step with tools like Gllit ImagePro AI and Gllit TextPro AI.

Apart from proactive support through various value-added services on the platform, by enabling transactions direct with the property owner or landlord, Gllit is changing what is otherwise an impersonal process into a transparent and deeply personalised experience.

What are the new features of Gllit?

We’ve introduced two new smart features:

Expertise-as-a-service for marketing — brings agency-level marketing tools to individual users. It solves a very real pain point for many of our subscribers and home sellers in general: how do you make your listing look professional. The AI-powered suite includes TextPro AI, which writes compelling, SEO-friendly descriptions, and ImagePro AI, which enhances photos in seconds. These are all built into the platform, so users do not have to leave the site or go elsewhere to write or edit photos — they can complete these otherwise complicated tasks in just seconds as part of creating a property listing on Gllit. In a future update, our AI-powered suite will also include a market-insights feature that provides verified real estate information to help in pricing and market positioning.
Go-direct benefit for negotiation — simplifies one of the trickiest parts of real estate: pricing. It lets sellers and landlords add a premium as a reward for using Gllit’s direct, agent-free platform, but still keeping the overall cost well below agent-led transactions.

What are your expansion plans?

We are expanding our footprint in the UAE and will continue to focus on growing our presence across different markets in the mid-term. This includes building partnerships with leading developers and enhancing data integrations to make real estate transactions more cost-effective and efficient.

The first part of our journey was focused on enabling direct transactions and showing to the people that there is a truly more affordable way of conducting deals. Now that we have proven this point, it is time to further enhance and truly optimize direct-to-owner real estate transactions the next-gen way.

In our first year of operation, Gllit has recorded strong month-on-month growth — with traffic up by 60 per cent, new sign-ups increasing by 25 per cent, and active listings rising by 53 per cent. We are looking to build on the strong momentum and scale our reach across the UAE.

Real Estate SME Proptech gllit

UiPath FUSION Dubai showcases surge in agentic AI adoption across UAE

UiPath recognised several regional customers for their leadership in automation and AI innovation

Gulf Business

13 November, 2025

UiPath FUSION Dubai showcases surge in agentic AI adoption across UAE

Image: Supplied

UiPath, a global firm involved in agentic automation, hosted its flagship event FUSION in Dubai on November 6, bringing together senior executives, AI specialists, customers, and partners for a full day of presentations, hands-on sessions, and live demonstrations showcasing agentic automation in practice.

Part of a global roadshow that debuted in Las Vegas this September, FUSION Dubai featured a UAE-focused agenda highlighting how leading organisations — including Dubai Police, Etihad Airways, RAKBANK, DP World GCC and e& UAE — are leveraging the UiPath Platform to increase efficiency, boost productivity, and transform business operations through AI agents, robots, and people working in unison.

UAE organisations accelerate their adoption of agentic AI

During the event, UiPath recognised several regional customers for their leadership in automation and AI innovation. Dubai Police, Etihad Airways, RAKBANK, e& UAE, DP World GCC, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Power International Holdings, and Petroleum Development Oman were honoured for deploying automation and AI to strengthen operational excellence across their sectors.

“With a bold national strategy for AI, the UAE continues to prove that innovation is part of its DNA,” said Ashley Boag, UiPath Chief Operating Officer International (COO) and SVP Middle East and Africa. “Through events like FUSION, we see first-hand how our customers and partners are harnessing agentic automation and orchestration to redefine efficiency, resilience, and growth. At UiPath, we’re proud to empower organizations across the UAE and beyond to unlock the full potential of AI agents—driving transformation that is both human-centric and future-ready.”

Islam Azab, Senior Director, AI & Automation at e& UAE, added: “Our journey with UiPath started with simple RPA—automating repetitive tasks. But from the beginning, UiPath shared our vision to bring intelligence into automation: with robots and agents that can see, understand, and act. Step by step, we’ve grown together into the age of agentic AI, where automation works alongside people—anticipating needs, learning from data, and taking action responsibly.”

James Furness, Head of Digital & Technology at Etihad Airways, reflected on the airline’s evolution: “We started with a proof of concept in 2020, just five core automations. But even then, the impact was clear, and that helped us secure long-term support. Since then, we’ve delivered hundreds of use cases, and more recently, we’ve started deploying agentic AI, including GenAI agents that now handle 85% of after-hours operations at our medical centre. Working with UiPath and our partners, we’ve moved from survival mode to a transformation phase — scaling automation as a core capability, not just a project.”

Advancing the UAE’s national AI vision

Reinforcing the UAE’s position as a global testbed for innovation, FUSION Dubai demonstrated how UiPath is helping organisations align with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence by orchestrating automation across people, systems, and AI. This integrated approach is accelerating measurable impact across priority sectors such as government, aviation, logistics, and financial services — enabling faster, smarter, and more citizen-centric service delivery.

UiPath FUSION

Saudi Arabia launches global tourism platform with TOURISE summit

Gulf Business

13 November, 2025

Saudi Arabia launches global tourism platform with TOURISE summit

H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of TOURISE/Image: Supplied

The inaugural TOURISE Summit was officially opened by H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of TOURISE, marking a bold new chapter for global tourism.

With an ambition to rewrite the rules of travel, TOURISE brings together ministers, delegates, and visionaries from around the world, establishing itself as the premier platform dedicated to shaping the future of the global tourism industry.

Taking place from November 11–13, 2025, immediately following the 50th United Nations Tourism General Assembly, TOURISE is reimagining how sectors collaborate — transforming competition into partnership, optimising investment, and breaking down silos to unlock collective growth. The event aims to turn bold ideas into actionable solutions and catalyse initiatives that will define the next 50 years of global tourism.

During his opening speech, H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb emphasised that there has never been a more pivotal moment for cross-sector convergence to shape global tourism. He noted that the industry has rebounded to historic highs, with international arrivals and investment surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Yet, he cautioned that the sector also faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities, including rapid technological disruption, a generational shift toward sustainable and experience-led travel, and the need to build resilience amid economic and environmental uncertainty.

H.E. Al Khateeb said that TOURISE has emerged at precisely this inflection point, when the world is ready for new models, partnerships, and solutions. “TOURISE is more than an event, it is a platform for action where we will solve for the challenges all together that have long limited tourism’s full potential among them are challenges in skills, investment, infrastructure, sustainability, and digital transformation. It’s a space where we will work hand in hand to deliver the best outcomes for everyone: returns for investors; more accessible destinations and affordable experiences for travelers; jobs and prosperity for communities as the demand for travel increases. We are not here just to discuss ideas. We are here to act. That is why TOURISE exists.”

Over three days, TOURISE will host a high-level programme of panels, keynotes, and dialogues featuring global leaders across industries, including:

• Ariane Gorin, CEO, Expedia
• Ambassador Patricia Espinosa, founder, onepoint5
• Gloria Guevara, interim CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council
• Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, incoming secretary general of UN Tourism
• Luis Maroto, CEO, Amadeus
• Francis Suarez, Mayor, Miami
• Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports
• Lucia Penrod, co-founder and owner, Nikki Beach
• Sébastien Bazin, CEO, Accor
• Eduardo Santander, CEO, European Travel Commission (ETC)
• Harvey Goldsmith CBE, founder, Nvisible Productions
• Thomas Woldbye, CEO, Heathrow Airport
• Steve Hafner, co-founder and CEO, Kayak.com

The diverse speaker line-up underscores TOURISE’s ability to unite leaders from sectors rarely seen together, fostering unconventional collaborations that challenge industry boundaries. These cross-sector convergences are expected to drive new business models, enhance traveller experiences, promote sustainable destination development, and reshape investment strategies.

Read: TOURISE unveils global Advisory Board ahead of inaugural Riyadh summit

The Summit will address the defining questions of travel’s future — from AI-driven experiences and frictionless borders to destination design, sustainable investment, and the competition for tomorrow’s travellers. Through ministerial dialogues, boardroom discussions, innovation showcases, and main-stage sessions, these ideas will be transformed into action.

The inaugural TOURISE Awards will also be presented this evening, honouring destinations that exemplify excellence and meet the evolving expectations of modern travellers.

Powered by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, TOURISE extends beyond the three-day summit. It will serve as a year-round, global platform — continuing the conversations sparked in Riyadh through cross-sector collaboration, partnerships, and innovation to transform visionary ideas into real-world impact.

Saudi Arabia TOURISE summit

From Madinah to Hong Kong: Etihad Airways charts bold expansion across destinations

The new service enhances travel options for religious, business, and leisure travellers, underscoring the airline’s commitment to key markets

Nida Sohail

13 November, 2025

From Madinah to Hong Kong: Etihad Airways charts bold expansion across destinations

Image credit: WAM/Website

Etihad Airways has launched direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Madinah this week, expanding its strong presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reinforcing its position as a major facilitator of regional and international travel. The new service enhances travel options for religious, business, and leisure travellers, underscoring the airline’s commitment to key strategic markets.

The direct service reconnects Abu Dhabi with Madinah, one of the world’s most spiritually significant cities and a central destination for religious tourism. The route will support rising demand from global pilgrims and travellers seeking seamless connections to the kingdom’s holy city, according to a WAM report.

With this launch, Madinah becomes the latest addition to Etihad’s growing Saudi operations. The UAE’s national carrier now operates 93 weekly flights across five Saudi cities, including four daily services to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, and three weekly flights to Al Qassim.

The move forms part of Etihad’s broader growth strategy, which has seen the announcement of 31 new destinations in a single year.

Commitment to connectivity and growth

Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said the Madinah service reflects the airline’s long-term commitment to strengthening connectivity between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, one of its most important markets.

“Madinah carries profound cultural and spiritual significance for millions of people, and we are honoured to provide convenient travel through Abu Dhabi to this culturally and spiritually important city,” Neves said. “With this new route, we look forward to supporting religious travel and providing guests with greater access, choice, and convenience through our home in Abu Dhabi.”

Captain Majed Al Marzouqi, chief Operations and Guest Officer at Etihad Airways, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that the launch of flights to Madinah gives travellers more flexibility and convenience when flying to and from Saudi Arabia via Abu Dhabi.

Al Marzouqi highlighted that the expansion reflects Etihad’s focus on positioning Abu Dhabi as a premier global aviation hub, linking East and West through Zayed International Airport.

Promoting Abu Dhabi as a stopover destination

Etihad is also leveraging its extensive international network to promote Abu Dhabi as a destination in its own right. Passengers connecting through the capital to Madinah can take advantage of a complimentary Abu Dhabi Stopover package, which offers two free nights in one of the city’s top hotels.

Abu Dhabi presents a mix of heritage and modernity, featuring cultural icons such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, alongside world-class attractions on Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, TeamLab Phenomena, and several major theme parks.

With its strategic location, travellers flying from Madinah gain smooth access to Etihad’s vast global network spanning Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Expanding horizons across Asia

Etihad’s regional growth is not limited to the Middle East. The airline continues to broaden its reach across Asia, with recent route launches to Sumatra (Medan), Phnom Penh, Addis Ababa, and Krabi in October, followed by new services to Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, and Tunis in November.

The new Hong Kong service marks a significant milestone in Etihad’s Asian expansion and sets the stage for a deeper partnership with Hong Kong Airlines.

Etihad Airways and Hong Kong Airlines have officially launched a codeshare partnership, complemented by a reciprocal loyalty agreement aimed at enhancing customer experience and expanding reach across key Asian markets.

The agreement was signed in Hong Kong during an event marking the arrival of Etihad’s inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong International Airport.

Under the codeshare arrangement, Hong Kong Airlines flights between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi are now bookable as Etihad ‘EY’ services. Similarly, travellers can fly Etihad to multiple Japanese destinations, including Fukuoka, Hokkaido-Sapporo, Osaka, and Okinawa—on Hong Kong Airlines-operated flights under the ‘HX’ code. This integration allows passengers to travel on a single ticket, with one check-in and seamless baggage transfer, positioning Abu Dhabi as an efficient bridge between Greater China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

Boosting loyalty through cross-network benefits

The partnership extends beyond route integration. Once fully implemented, members of Etihad Guest and Hong Kong Airlines’ Fortune Wings Club will enjoy reciprocal earn-and-redeem privileges across both airlines’ entire networks.

This initiative strengthens Etihad Guest’s position as the most globally connected non-alliance loyalty programme, adding to its growing list of international partners. The agreement also complements Etihad’s long-standing collaboration with Hainan Airlines, enabling Fortune Wings Club members to collect and redeem points on Etihad’s newly launched Hong Kong service.

Arik De, chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, said the partnership delivers significant benefits for loyal customers.

“This partnership delivers meaningful value to Etihad Guest members through full earn-and-redeem access across Hong Kong Airlines’ network, complemented by codeshare connectivity to high-demand Japanese destinations,” De said. “It underscores our commitment to providing our loyal guests with greater flexibility, broader reach, and superior rewards.”

Louis Li, executive VP of Hong Kong Airlines, described the agreement as a key milestone in Hong Kong Airlines’ international resurgence.

“The expansion of our codeshare and the launch of a reciprocal loyalty programme not only benefit travellers from both airlines but also lay the foundation for deeper commercial collaboration,” Li said. “Our partnership with Etihad, established in 2014, remains strong and will boost trade, tourism, and connectivity between Hong Kong and the Middle East.”

Taken together, Etihad’s expansion into Madinah and its renewed strategic ties with Hong Kong Airlines underscore the airline’s bold global growth trajectory. By connecting key religious and economic hubs and deepening partnerships across continents, Etihad is solidifying its position as a leading global connector from its Abu Dhabi base.

The dual focus on network expansion and collaborative partnerships reflects Etihad’s broader mission: transforming Abu Dhabi into one of the world’s most connected aviation centers while offering passengers a seamless travel experience enriched by cultural and geographic diversity.

Etihad Travel Saudi Arabia UAE Abu Dhabi flights Etihad Airways Hong Kong Madinah

Dubai Holding Entertainment’s CEO on investing in immersive attractions

Fernando Eiroa on expanding the group’s global reach and redefining leisure through story-driven attractions

Neesha Salian

13 November, 2025

Dubai Holding Entertainment’s CEO on investing in immersive attractions

Image: Supplied

As Dubai’s entertainment landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, few entities have been as pivotal in shaping its narrative as Dubai Holding Entertainment (DHE).

From the record-breaking success of Global Village to the debut of Real Madrid World and the award-winning experiences at The Green Planet, the group has cemented its position at the heart of the city’s leisure and tourism ecosystem. Under its stewardship, destinations across Dubai are not just attracting millions of visitors, but also redefining what integrated, story-driven entertainment looks like in the region.

In this conversation, Fernando Eiroa – CEO, Dubai Holding Entertainment, discusses how the group is expanding its international footprint, investing in immersive attractions, and aligning with Dubai’s broader vision to become the world’s most visited city.

How has Dubai Holding Entertainment performed so far this year, and what would you highlight as the key milestones?

This has been a year of focused growth and strategic expansion for Dubai Holding Entertainment, building on major achievements from the previous year.

This year, we have strengthened our portfolio with the 30th anniversary season of Global Village, a landmark edition that celebrates three decades of cultural exchange, family entertainment, and commercial vibrancy. This milestone season follows the record-breaking success of Season 29, during which Global Village welcomed 10.5 million visitors, earning its place among the top five most visited entertainment destinations worldwide.

Most recently, we introduced T-REX Glamping, the region’s first dinosaur-themed overnight experience, which adds a completely new dimension to our offering at Dubai Parks and Resorts. These milestones reflect our broader vision to lead with originality, depth, and long-term value.

Tell us how the new T-REX Glamping experience fits into the wider Dubai Parks and Resorts offering.

T-REX Glamping is a globally unique concept, the first dinosaur-themed glamping retreat in the world and the UAE’s first immersive overnight experience built entirely around storytelling. It is designed to transform a theme park visit into a fully immersive journey, where guests can dig for fossils, sleep in era-themed tents, and wake up surrounded by animatronic dinosaurs.

As part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, it extends the experience beyond the parks and turns the destination into a short-stay leisure getaway, combining hospitality, imagination, and entertainment as part of one seamless package.

We are targeting families, weekend explorers, and experience-led travellers of all ages, from kids to grandparents.

With 65 themed tents, private plunge pools, live entertainment, and inclusive access to our theme parks, T-REX Glamping is designed to create stronger emotional connections with the destination. It is not just a new product; it is a strategic driver for visitation, revenue, and guest retention.

How do you see immersive experiences like T-REX Glamping shaping the future of entertainment destinations in the region?

Immersive, story-led experiences are the future of our industry. Visitors today want to live the experience, not just observe it. T-REX Glamping represents a new direction where narrative, design, and environment converge to create something unforgettable. These are the kinds of offerings that elevate a destination from recreational to aspirational.

In this space, Dubai is not following trends; it is setting them.

Global Village continues to break attendance records year after year. Can you share the key highlights from the most recent season — from visitor numbers to new pavilions and standout experiences?

Season 29 was a milestone for Global Village, welcoming over 10.5 million visitors and showcasing 30 pavilions representing more than 90 cultures, with new additions from Jordan, Iraq, and Sri Lanka–Bangladesh.

This remarkable performance was driven by a series of strategic enhancements across the park. We elevated the guest experience with the launch of the Restaurant Plaza, home to 11 all-new elevated dining concepts, and upgraded culinary hotspots like the Floating Market, Fiesta Street, and Railway Market, offering over 200 food outlets that spanned everything from Asian street food to viral desserts.

Across the park, other enhancements included expanded green promenades, shaded seating zones and a refreshed Carnaval® with more than 200 rides, games and arcade experiences, plus new attractions like Neon Galaxy X Challenge Zone, Secrets of The Lost City and EXO Planet City.

Entertainment was a defining feature of the season, with blockbuster live concerts by superstars Tamer Hosny, Assala, Atif Aslam and Amr Diab. The season also featured a series of tribute shows, with full-scale performances celebrating legendary artists such as ABBA, Freddie Mercury, and Taylor Swift.

Read: T-REX Glamping opens at Dubai Parks and Resorts

As one of the region’s largest diversified entertainment groups, what were the strategic focus areas for Dubai Holding Entertainment in 2025? How are you balancing innovation, expansion, and visitor experience across your destinations?

Our 2025 strategy was based on three key market shifts we are seeing: families seeking more authentic, narrative-driven experiences; the growing demand for premium outdoor hospitality; and visitors wanting more integrated, full-day entertainment journeys.

These shifts are driving us to focus on strategic priorities that bring together immersive storytelling, elevated amenities and seamless multi-activity experiences, creating offerings that keep guests engaged for longer, encourage repeat visits and strengthen brand loyalty.

Within Dubai Parks and Resorts, we are enhancing operational synergies, coordinated ticketing and integrated programming to extend dwell time and maximise cross-asset value.

The opening of Real Madrid World adds a significant new attraction, featuring Hala Madrid, the tallest wooden rollercoaster in the world, alongside themed streetscapes, Spanish dining, and interactive football experiences.

Beyond its appeal to football enthusiasts, Real Madrid World is designed for all audiences, featuring interactive experiences such as Champions Avenue and the Meet the Stars zone, which captures the spirit of football in ways that resonate across age groups and interests.

Meanwhile, Riverland Dubai is undergoing a bold transformation with new anchor attractions such as Perplex City, an illusion and adventure venue, and an Axe Throwing Arena, with much more to come.

New dining concepts and themed environments are also being introduced to enhance the visitor journey.

From The Green Planet to Inside Burj Al Arab and Wild Wadi Waterpark, you’ve curated experiences that blend culture, education, and leisure. What role do these play in shaping Dubai’s image as a global entertainment hub?

Our projects not only enhance Dubai’s entertainment landscape but also help cement the city’s reputation as a global tourism hub, attracting visitors from across the world. With a variety of outdoor and indoor experiences — many available year-round — we cater to diverse audiences seeking everything from seasonal spectacles to signature attractions they can enjoy in any season.

The Inside Burj Al Arab tour offers a rare behind-the-scenes experience of a global icon, while Wild Wadi Waterpark continues to be a favourite for families and thrill-seekers alike, attracting both residents and visitors.

The Green Planet Dubai, the region’s only indoor tropical rainforest, blends environmental awareness with immersive storytelling — an approach that earned it the Best Edutainment Centre award at the MENALAC Awards 2025 and a place in Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best 2025 list. Tripadvisor also recognised The View Palm Jumeirah among the top 10 per cent of attractions worldwide, while LEGOLAND Hotel Dubai was named one of the region’s top family hotels. ROXY Cinemas claimed the MENALAC Award for Best Campaign for Family Entertainment Centres, reflecting our ability to engage audiences through creative content and marketing.

Global Village added to this success with major MENALAC wins for Best Theme Park (over 500,000 visitors) and Best Visitor Attraction, reaffirming its reputation as one of the region’s most inclusive and popular destinations, welcoming over 10.5 million guests last season.

These accolades reflect the quality, diversity and broad appeal of our destinations across the region.

Dubai Holding Entertainment recently entered a strategic partnership with Trip.com Group to enhance accessibility to your attractions for the Chinese market. What led to the decision to focus on China, and how do you foresee this partnership contributing to your broader international growth strategy?

China remains one of the most important outbound travel markets globally. Through our partnership with Trip.com Group, we’ve introduced curated packages, multilingual content and seamless booking access for Chinese travellers.

This is part of our broader international strategy, which not only focuses on high-potential source markets like China but also strengthens our footprint across key global regions. These efforts aim to contribute to Dubai’s vision of becoming the world’s most visited city and a leading global destination in line with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031.

How does Dubai Holding Entertainment contribute to Dubai’s wider tourism goals in collaboration with entities such as the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)? What role do strategic partnerships play in this journey?

We actively support Dubai’s tourism vision by contributing to major citywide initiatives such as Dubai Summer Surprises, Dubai Fitness Challenge and Back-to-School, with its destinations often featured as venues for key activations and guest experiences.

Our destinations often help amplify the energy of these campaigns and connect with diverse audiences across the city.

Earlier this year, Coca-Cola Arena hosted DET’s city briefing, reinforcing our shared commitment to supporting Dubai’s ambitions as a global hub for entertainment, culture, and leisure.

We also establish strategic partnerships with leading global OTAs, regional developers, and food and beverage operators to broaden access and visibility, and deliver experiences that elevate Dubai’s global appeal, reinforcing the city’s position as a leading international destination.

What are your strategic priorities for Dubai Holding Entertainment?

Our focus is on future-proofing the business by turning each asset into a year-round, high-value destination that connects deeply with both residents and tourists. This means evolving our current experiences, accelerating digital innovation, and launching new formats that blend emotion, engagement, and operational performance.

We are committed to pushing boundaries not just in what we offer, but in how those offers deliver long-term value to the city and to our guests.

Leisure Dubai Holding Entertainment parks and resorts

More news in education-industry

CBSE announces special class 12 exams across GCC countries: Details announced