Dubai’s Gerald Lawless appointed World Travel and Tourism Council chairman

​The former Jumeirah CEO has been the council’s vice chairman since 2012

UAE’s first KidzMondo theme park planned at new Abu Dhabi mall

Located at the World Trade Centre mall in Abu Dhabi, it will open in 2017

Abu Dhabi appoints new tourism chief

Abu Dhabi appoints new tourism chief

Saif Ghobash will serve as director general of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority

Dubai Parks and Resorts signs vendor agreements ahead of October launch

Deals have been signed with HB Leisure, Penny Press Factory, Best Locker and Scooter Bug.

Azerbaijan grants visa on arrival access to GCC citizens

UAE nationals had visa restrictions lifted in November.

Dubai reveals new holiday home regulation

Dubai reveals new holiday home regulation

Move will be seen as a blow to players like Airbnb

Exclusive: Dubai airport's Concourse D opening date revealed

Exclusive: Dubai airport’s Concourse D opening date revealed

The facility underwent a public trial earlier this month

Dubai Parks and Resorts on track to open in Oct 2016

The company spent Dhs 5.8bn as of end-December 2015

Dubai Shopping Festival not hit by drop in tourists – authorities

The month-long event had over 6,000 participating retail outlets

Dubai among top 10 cities most visited by UK travellers in 2015

New York topped the list while Dubai moved up one spot to rank seven

Oman’s austerity measures could boost foreign investment in property market

The sultanate is anticipated to see a rise in public-private partnerships, finds Cluttons report

Dubai Parks and Resorts – a new chapter begins

Chief executive officer Raed Kajoor al Nuaimi talks to Dean Carroll about Dubai Parks and Resorts’ flagship Dhs 10.5bn project and the company’s future plans

Video gives first look at Dubai Safari as construction nears completion

Clip posted on Instagram gives sneak preview into hotly-anticipated attraction

New visa charge could bring Oman $43m each year

Extra visa fees will need to be paid by companies following new charge by Royal Oman Police

Dubai Parks and Etisalat plan world’s first smart theme park

Collaboration will see smart functionality integrated into Dubai Parks and Resorts’ upcoming leisure destination

UAE, Germany discuss increasing flights following Etihad dispute

UAE’s economy minister says increasing flights between the countries will increase investment

AccorHotels announces $2.9bn acquisition of Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel brands

The cash and share deal is the second major takeover in a month following Marriott International’s $12.2bn Starwood Hotels and Resorts acquisition

Dubai Parks and Resorts expansion could include new theme parks and hotels

The project’s chief executive said that the themepark has plans to expand further if visitors grow steadily

Etihad Airways’ passenger numbers grow by 17% in 2015

The airline carried around 17.4 million passengers last year

Nakheel to build new beachfront resort in Deira Islands

The company is building a 550-room resort and a water park in partnership with Thailand-based Centara Hotels and Resorts

Iranian visitor numbers to Dubai up by 41% in 2014

Dubai also saw a growth in visitors from China while tourists from Russia and Germany slumped last year, a report says

The World’s Worst Passports For Travel in 2015

Which citizens face maximum visa restrictions and have the fewest travel options?

HotelTonight launches in Dubai, plots regional expansion

Following its Dubai launch, the app will gradually expand to the other emirates and neighbouring countries

Opening of Abu Dhabi’s Louvre pushed back to 2016

Officials did not give a reason for the delay in building work at the $650m project

Dubai ranks as the top shopping city for Muslim travellers

Muslim travellers spent about $9.3bn on shopping within 40 cities in 2014, new survey finds

Even as Iran opens up, travellers face credit card blocks

Two hotels will open in Tehran next month – the ibis IKIA and Novotel IKIA, the first international brands to re-enter the market since 1979

Egypt security forces accidentally kill 12, including Mexican tourists

The tourist group of 22 had parked their four four-by-four vehicles off road for a barbecue near the Bahariya oasis

Dubai’s IMG theme park installs 69 dinosaurs, set for 2016 opening

IMG Worlds of Adventure is set to become the world’s largest multi-brand indoor theme park when it opens

Dubai eyes China for lucrative incentive tourism market

The emirate hosted the International Dragon Awards in August, welcoming about 5,700 attendees

French thieves pose as Gulf Arab tourists, rob hotel guests

The thieves pretended to have lost their keys in order to gain access to the rooms of wealthy Arab tourists at luxury hotels in Europe