Accor has signed Swissôtel Jeddah Al Hamra in partnership with Arabian Hotels & Catering, repositioning a landmark 1984 property in Jeddah’s Al Hamra district under the Swissôtel brand. The 323-room hotel features five dining venues, a club lounge and extensive meeting facilities, including a large ballroom. A phased 24-month renovation will align the property with Swissôtel standards, blending contemporary design with its established heritage. 

Adeera has signed a framework agreement with HTMi to develop Saudi hospitality talent in line with Vision 2030. The partnership will deliver structured training programmes combining classroom learning, hands-on hotel operations experience and certification, focused on operational excellence and service leadership. Designed as an end-to-end development pathway, the initiative aims to equip young Saudis with industry-relevant skills and clear career progression opportunities. Graduates will be considered for roles across Adeera’s hotel portfolio, supporting long-term workforce development and strengthening national capability in Saudi Arabia’s growing hospitality sector.

AVENEW Development has signed an agreement with Hilton to launch Waldorf Astoria Dubai Islands and Waldorf Astoria Residences Dubai Islands, bringing the iconic luxury brand to the emerging waterfront destination. The project will feature a 150-room hotel with multiple dining venues, including Peacock Alley, alongside a spa, fitness studio and pools. It will also include 120 branded residences offering furnished apartments with personalised services and full access to hotel amenities. 

Dubai will host the 8th AccessAbilities Expo from October 19 to 21, 2026, at Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together 300 exhibitors from 50 countries and attracting over 18,000 visitors. The event serves as the region’s largest platform for assistive technologies and rehabilitation solutions for People of Determination. 

Hilton has launched Raeidat (“Pioneers”), a new Women in Leadership programme in Saudi Arabia designed to prepare women for senior roles in hospitality. The inaugural cohort includes 25 participants from 10 Hilton hotels across the Kingdom. The nine-month programme combines workshops, e-learning, mentoring and coaching, focusing on leadership skills, business acumen and operational excellence. Raeidat supports Saudi Vision 2030’s goal of increasing women’s workforce participation and strengthens Hilton’s local talent pipeline. Hilton currently employs nearly 2,500 team members in Saudi Arabia, with 21 hotels operating and more than 80 in development. 

flyadeal marked the first anniversary of its Pakistan operations with a travel trade awards dinner in Karachi, weeks after opening a new sales and marketing office in the city. Since launching flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to Karachi in February 2025, the Saudi low-cost carrier has expanded to five Pakistani cities - Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot and Peshawar - within eight months. The airline now operates 18 weekly non-stop flights between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Airbus A320 aircraft.

ICCA has announced Kigali, Rwanda (October 24 to 27, 2027) and Muscat, Oman (November 12-15, 2028) as hosts of its next two global ICCA Congresses. The 66th Congress in Kigali will spotlight Africa’s growing role in the global business events industry, focusing on capacity building, collaboration and continental competitiveness. The 67th Congress in Muscat will emphasise cross-regional community building, connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe through shared dialogue and sustainable growth. 

Kerten Hospitality has signed Casadora Resort by Cloud 7 Hotels in El Jadida, developed by Groupe Ramos. The integrated lifestyle destination will feature 156 hotel rooms, 140 branded ryad-style residences, and 60 fractional ownership ryads, alongside curated dining, wellness, family leisure, creative spaces, and an organic garden.