Jumeirah, a global luxury hospitality company and part of Dubai Holding, has announced a phased restoration programme for its flagship asset, the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab.

The initiative is designed to preserve the long-term value, design integrity and cultural significance of one of Dubai’s most recognisable hospitality landmarks, a Jumeirah Media report said.

The programme, expected to span approximately 18 months, comes as the property approaches more than 25 years of continuous operations since its opening in 1999. The company said the restoration will focus on enhancing the hotel’s interior environment while maintaining its original design identity, treating the process with the same precision as preserving a heritage asset.

Credit for images: Jumeirah Media Hub/Website

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Since its launch, the Burj Al Arab has played a central role in establishing Jumeirah as a global luxury hospitality brand. The sail-shaped structure has become one of Dubai’s most distinctive architectural assets, contributing significantly to the city’s international positioning as a high-end tourism and hospitality hub.

The hotel introduced several pioneering service standards at the time of its opening, including personalised butler service, which helped redefine global benchmarks in the ultra-luxury hospitality segment. Over the past two decades, it has remained a core revenue-driving flagship within Jumeirah’s portfolio of landmark properties.

Restoration led by international design figure

Following a competitive selection process, the restoration programme has been awarded to interior architect Tristan Auer. The appointment reflects Jumeirah’s emphasis on retaining design credibility while ensuring the property remains commercially and culturally relevant in the global luxury market.

Auer is recognised internationally for his work across high-end hospitality, residential and heritage projects. He founded his Paris-based studio in 2002 after working alongside designers Philippe Starck and Christian Liaigre. His portfolio includes landmark projects such as Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and the restoration of Les Bains Douches, positioning him as a specialist in high-value restoration and luxury interior transformation.

His design approach is known for balancing contemporary refinement with historical preservation, a methodology aligned with Jumeirah’s stated objective for the Burj Al Arab programme.

Strategic investment in long-term value

Commenting on the restoration, Jumeirah CEO Thomas B. Meier positioned the initiative as part of a long-term strategy to protect and enhance the brand’s most valuable asset.

“Jumeirah Burj Al Arab is far more than an architectural landmark; it is a symbol of ambition, craftsmanship and enduring excellence. For the last 27 years, this exceptional property has served guests with the same passion and world-class standards that distinguish it from any other hotel in the world. This restoration programme marks a new chapter in the story of Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, one that will carefully preserve the heritage of what is currently the sole property in our Jumeirah limited-edition collection of iconic landmark addresses defined by design distinction and prestige.”

The statement underscores the hotel’s positioning as a “limited-edition” asset within Jumeirah’s portfolio, reinforcing its role as a strategic brand anchor.

Auer described the appointment as a significant professional milestone, highlighting the scale and importance of the project within the regional hospitality landscape.

“Being entrusted with the very first restoration of a property of this calibre in Dubai, the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, a timeless icon of the region, is a profound privilege. To carry forward, with the utmost dedication, the legacy of such an extraordinary landmark is both an honour and a responsibility.”

The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab remains the company’s flagship hospitality asset, featuring 198 suites and interiors characterised by high-end materials including Swarovski crystals, marble and gold leaf detailing.

The property continues to maintain strong international recognition. It has been named the Number One City Hotel in North Africa and the Middle East by Travel + Leisure and received a five-star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide in 2023.

As Jumeirah moves forward with the restoration, the programme is expected to reinforce the asset’s long-term positioning within the global luxury hospitality market while maintaining its contribution to Dubai’s premium tourism economy.

Dubai World Trade Centre Hospitality reported record performance in 2025, serving 1.28 million guests across 2,578 events—a 37 per cent increase from 930,000 guests in 2024—underscoring its growing role in Dubai’s events and business tourism ecosystem.

The results, released by the hospitality division of DWTC, highlight strong demand across exhibitions, conferences, corporate functions and private events, reinforcing its position as a leading provider of large-scale and bespoke catering services in the region.

Exhibition catering emerged as the standout segment, with guest numbers exceeding 240,000—more than double the 120,000 recorded in 2024. Growth was driven by flagship events such as Gulfood, World Health Expo Dubai, Arabian Travel Market and GITEX Global.

DWTC Hospitality also supported international events, including GITEX Africa in Morocco, reflecting its expanding global delivery capabilities.

Conferences and business events gain momentum

The conferences, associations and business meetings segment served more than 123,000 attendees in 2025, reflecting Dubai’s increasing appeal as a destination for international business events.

Corporate and private events also recorded strong growth, with over 600,000 guests served, up from 400,000 in 2024. The weddings segment contributed 56,554 guests, highlighting demand for personalised, high-end event experiences.

Operations spanned DWTC’s core venues, including Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai Exhibition Centre and Jafza One Convention Centre, as well as external and private locations across the UAE.

DEC and JOCC together catered to more than 80,000 guests, supporting DWTC’s ability to scale operations across multiple venues.

Off-site operations grew by 12 per cent, serving more than 160,000 guests across 1,211 events. These included high-profile engagements such as the Dubai International Boat Show, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Dubai World Cup and MEBAA Show, as well as events at Ain Dubai.

Strategic outlook and future growth

Mahir Julfar, executive vice president at Dubai World Trade Centre, said: “DWTC Hospitality plays a key role in supporting Dubai’s dynamic events and business tourism ecosystem, delivering exceptional experiences through world-class service. Our strength lies in operating at scale while maintaining the precision and service quality expected of a leading global destination. Hospitality today extends far beyond catering, encompassing trusted execution and seamless delivery across the entire event journey. As we continue investing in our people, infrastructure and multi-venue capabilities, alongside the expansion of Dubai Exhibition Centre, we are well positioned to support the next phase of growth in the region’s mega events landscape and further enhance Dubai’s reputation as one of the world’s leading events destinations.”

He added: “Moving forward, we will continue to raise the benchmark for event hospitality across the region. As Dubai’s events industry becomes more sophisticated and globally competitive, the role of hospitality becomes even more integral to overall event success. We are focused on building long-term partnerships with organisers, investing in culinary talent and innovation, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations. By doing so, we are strengthening the foundations for the next decade of growth and ensuring that every event we support contributes meaningfully to Dubai’s position as a world-class hub for business and beyond.”

The performance reflects the continued expansion of Dubai’s events industry, supported by large-scale infrastructure, international exhibitions and growing demand for premium hospitality services.

The Central Bank of the UAE has signed a technical partnership with Sweden-based Norbloc AB to develop a nationwide electronic know your customer (e-KYC) platform, as part of efforts to modernise the country’s financial infrastructure and strengthen financial stability.

The initiative forms a key component of the central bank’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation (FIT) Programme, which aims to build a more integrated financial ecosystem, enhance operational efficiency and advance digital regulatory frameworks.

The new platform is designed to address inefficiencies linked to duplicated customer due diligence processes, reduce compliance costs and reinforce the competitiveness of the UAE’s financial sector, while supporting a unified national approach to customer verification.

The agreement was signed by Saif Humaid Al Dhaheri, assistant governor for Banking Operations and Support Services at the central bank, and Norbloc chief executive Astyanax Kanakakis, in the presence of governor Khaled Mohamed Balama and other senior officials.

The e-KYC system will streamline both individual and business verification processes, including KYC and know your business (KYB) requirements, through automated workflows and integration with trusted data sources.

It is also intended to enhance compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulations.

e-KYC platform to incorporate “privacy by design” framework

Officials said the platform incorporates a “privacy by design” framework, allowing secure data sharing based on explicit customer consent, with safeguards to ensure confidentiality and data protection across the financial system.

The central bank said the unified approach would support banks and fintech firms by enabling faster and more reliable digital onboarding for individuals and businesses, reducing turnaround times and operational costs while improving ease of doing business.

“This platform represents a shift away from resource-intensive traditional processes towards more efficient digital models,” Al Dhaheri said, adding that it would help improve access to financial services while lowering costs and enhancing transparency.

Kanakakis said the partnership would allow financial institutions to access secure, real-time data from multiple sources while maintaining high international standards and giving users greater control over their information.

Future phases of the project will focus on expanding the platform’s capabilities and integration with additional stakeholders, as the UAE seeks to strengthen its position as a hub for digital financial services and regulatory innovation.

Ajman Transport Authority reported a rise in taxi usage during the first quarter of 2026, with total trips reaching 3,322,268, up from 3,146,769 in the same period last year.

The increase of 175,499 trips represents a growth rate of approximately 5.6 per cent, reflecting steady demand for taxi services across the emirate, WAM reported.

Sami Ali Al Jallaf, Executive Director of the Public Transport and Licensing Corporation, said: “This growth reflects increasing demand for taxi services across the emirate, as well as high levels of safety and operational readiness, supported by the use of modern, well-equipped vehicles that meet the highest standards.”

Al Jallaf highlighted that taxis continue to play a critical role in Ajman’s transport ecosystem, offering flexible and efficient mobility solutions to meet daily commuting needs.

He added: “Taxis represent a vital component of the transport system in Ajman, given their key role in meeting daily mobility needs with efficiency and flexibility. He noted that the authority continues to develop its services, enhance fleet quality, and adopt modern solutions to improve traffic flow and quality of life in the emirate.”

The authority said it will continue to invest in service enhancements, fleet upgrades and smart mobility solutions as part of its broader efforts to improve transport efficiency and support urban development.

Adyen has expanded its long-standing partnership with Careem Pay to support the scaling of its remittance services from the UAE to global markets.

The collaboration builds on more than eight years of partnership and is aimed at strengthening Careem Pay’s international money transfer capabilities across Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and other key corridors.

Under the expanded agreement, Adyen will provide integrated payments infrastructure to enhance performance, reliability and scalability as Careem Pay grows its remittance business.

A key component of the partnership includes unified settlement and streamlined reporting through a consolidated framework, designed to improve operational efficiency and increase transparency across transactions.

The platform will also support higher payment conversion and authorisation rates, underpinned by a secure and scalable infrastructure.

Daumantas Grigaravicius, head of Middle East at Adyen, said: “Careem Pay is a strategic growth area for Careem and supporting it is a natural step forward in our partnership. As remittances in the UAE continue to shift from physical to digital channels, our single platform helps reduce operational complexity, while delivering smooth, reliable payment experiences that strengthen long-term customer relationships and support Careem Pay’s continued expansion.”

Mohammad El Saadi, vice president at Careem Pay, said: “At Careem Pay, our mission is to simplify financial services and provide a fairer, more transparent way for people to manage their money. We recognize that we operate in an incredibly innovative and competitive ecosystem here in the UAE, which pushes us to keep improving every day. By deepening our partnership with Adyen, we’re ensuring our remittance service stays fast and reliable as we expand globally. We know our customers trust us with what matters most – supporting their families, so we’re committed to keeping every transfer easy, affordable and seamless.”

Careem Pay currently enables international transfers from the UAE to more than 35 countries via the Careem app, with services provided in partnership with Lulu Exchange, licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE.

The expansion reflects growing demand for digital remittance solutions in the UAE, as consumers shift towards faster, more transparent and app-based financial services.