Ultra second edition in January
The second edition of Ultra by Private Luxury Events, a gathering of qualified luxury hospitality leaders, executive assistants, personal assistants, and travel advisors to UHNW individuals, will take place from January 25 to 29, 2026 at Atlantis The Royal, Dubai. This follows the success of Ultra 2025, which brought together 230 of the world’s foremost luxury travel advisors and exhibitors to connect, collaborate, and explore the future of ultra-luxury travel. Luxury brands and properties that attended Ultra 2025 include: Four Seasons, Cheval Blanc, Airelles, Reschio House, Beno, Fregate Private Island, and SHA Wellness Clinic. The event revealed trends including hyper-personalisation, places with passion and purpose, the role that the local culture and people play in ultra-luxury travel, and the importance of authenticity and adding value for Gen Z travellers. Christy Kuplic, Managing Director of Private Luxury Events, said: “Ultra is a gathering of the luxury travel advisor experts and hospitality leaders who go above and beyond. At Ultra 2025, the energy was electric as the community shared their insights, ideas, and passion for the art of luxury. A new chapter for ultra-luxury is beginning, and our community is helping shape that chapter.” PATA, CrescentRating launch Halal travel report The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced a new partnership with CrescentRating, a globally recognised Singapore-based research organisation specialising in Halal-friendly travel and a PATA member, to jointly launch the Halal Travel Trends 2025 report, produced in collaboration with Mastercard. “At PATA, we recognise the profound significance and vast, often untapped, potential of the Muslim-friendly travel sector. Driven by a growing global Muslim population with increasing economic influence, it presents a substantial opportunity for destinations and travel businesses worldwide,” said PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid. The Halal Travel Trends 2025 report was officially launched at the PATA Annual Summit 2025 (PAS 2025) during a session titled “Halal Travel Frontier 2025: What Destinations Need to Know Now.” Fazal Bahardeen, Founder and CEO of CrescentRating, presented key insights from the research at the event. Religious tourism drives rise in spend Saudi Arabia’s Holy Cities emerged as Ramadan’s top economic performers, according to Visa’s Travel Pulse Q1 2025, which revealed a 162% surge in visitor spend on Visa cards in Makkah during the Holy Month. The report highlights the growing role of religious tourism in supporting the Kingdom’s non-oil economy, a key pillar of the Kingdom Vision 2030. From February 28 to March 30, Makkah and Madinah significantly outpaced Riyadh and Jeddah, reflecting the Holy Cities’ draw of religious travel during Ramadan. In Makkah alone, average spend per visitor climbed to $449, up from $356 during the rest of the year. Madinah followed with a 64% increase in visitor spend. ICOM Dubai 2025 registration opens The Organising Committee of ICOM Dubai 2025 has announced the opening of registration for the 27th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). This event, hosted by Dubai for the first time in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region, will take place from November 11 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The conference aims to provide a global platform for innovative ideas and discussions on reshaping the role of museums and their connections to the communities amidst rapid global changes. Attendees can register via the official conference website dubai2025.icom.museum.