Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, has announced the opening of Snow Oman. Set in the heart of the Mall of Oman, Snow Oman covers a sprawling area of 14,830 square metres with a “Desert Blizzard” theme – a reimagined world where Oman’s cityscapes and sand dunes are covered in real snow.

World Branding Forum recently awarded Bahrain’s biggest waterpark, Lost Paradise of Dilmun with “Brand of the year” in the 14th Edition of the Prestigious World Branding Awards held at Kensington Palace, London. “We are honoured to be shortlisted and once again chosen to be a winner. This year was a major comeback for us as with many other touristic attractions. Our overall efforts in maintaining the prominence of our brand, align with our strategy that has produced organic growth, and with a focused recovery plan we remain on track in achieving our goals.” said Dr Essa Faqih, CEO Al Areen Investment.

In 2022, Ponant won over 30 awards from Belgium to Australia, United States, China, United Kingdom and France, proving the quality of its expeditions and investment in sustainable tourism. Some of these awards included Travels d’Or (Belgium): ‘Green Action’ prize; Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards (USA), first place in the ‘Small Ships’ category; Hurun (China): an award in the ‘Luxury Expedition Travel – Best New Arrivals’ category; and Grand Prix des Strategies Digitales (France): gold medal in the ‘Brand / Product Platform’ category for the digital experiential space on Le Commandant Charcot.

Hilton announced the highly anticipated opening of Conrad Rabat Arzana, marking the first brand entry into Morocco for Conrad Hotels & Resorts. With its modern architecture and pioneering design, the luxurious 120-guest room hotel will provide guests with a new sense of modern hospitality, premier dining experiences and personalised service for a memorable stay.

Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, celebrated its 100-year anniversary of its historic Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin, home of the original Railway Hotel Hua Hin, with a month of spectacular events, exhibitions and entertainment lined up at the stunning seaside retreat.

Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski in St Moritz celebrated its 20th birthday in December 2022. The hotel unveiled an intensive two-month renovation of its lobby area and adjoining bar. The renovation also included the refurbishing of the buffet area at the award-winning main restaurant, Les Saisons, a new entry and reception area as well as new luxury-shopping units.

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) recently met in Madrid to advance the fair and responsible recovery of the tourism sector, guided by the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The Committee focused on analysing the ethical aspects and impacts of inclusivity and empowerment, climate change and environmental sustainability, social responsibility and technology.

AYA, the first in a new generation of immersive, experiential entertainment parks, is now open at WAFI City Mall. At AYA travellers will leave the real world behind to create memories of the future in a vibrant and colourful cosmos. The transformative journey begins by entering the world of Aurora, followed by The Source, Drift, Outland and The Pool zones. Cosmic stars, pools, lush hills and waterfalls of The River zone, The Falls, Celestia, Flora, Tides and Harmonia complete the spectacular experience.