The plan to rid Oxford Street of cars and buses, which has been over twenty years in the making, looks set to become a reality after consultations on proposals published in September showed a majority of Londoners and businesses back the idea.

Supporters of pedestrianising the mile-long stretch in central London say similar traffic-free schemes for Times Square in New York and La Rambla in Barcelona have breathed new life into tired areas.

“We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue,” Khan said in a statement announcing the results of the public consultation.

Oxford Street attracts around half a million visitors every day, according to the mayor’s office, but many flagship stores including House of Fraser and Topshop have shut in recent years, and Khan said the area had been neglected.

He will now work with the government on legislation to go traffic-free, which would happen “as quickly as possible”. That will require finding new routes for the dozens of buses which travel down it each hour.

The government has said Khan’s plan for a new “beautiful public space” which will attract more tourists, drive new investment in the area and create jobs.

But comments by President Donald Trump this month that he will impose a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States have alarmed the entertainment industry and some locals in Dubrovnik who fear directors may no longer film there.

“There have been huge disruptions because of the tariffs that Trump plans to introduce,” said Croatian film producer Igor Aleksandar Nola, adding that budgets had already been hit by global economic upheaval.

“Part of the financing coming from banks and investment funds for audio-visual arts has been on standby because of the uncertainty,” Nola told Reuters.

Central European countries and the Balkans have been used by Hollywood for years for their dramatic scenery, mix of architectural styles and cheaper filming costs. If a movie or series is a hit those locations can become hugely popular with visitors.

“The film and Game of Thrones have changed Dubrovnik for sure,” said tourist guide Ivan Vukovic. About 1,000 tourists join a Game of Thrones tour every day, he said.

New souvenir shops were opened and jobs created for tourist guides and locals assisting in film productions out of season.

“All of this created a big economic boom,” Vukovic said.

Trump did not provide details about the timing of tariffs, leaving executives wondering how they could be applied to the film industry.

Participants at the Cannes Film Festival, which opened on Tuesday, continued a cautious business-as-usual approach after the initial shock by the tariff announcement.

Mate Frankovic, the mayor of Dubrovnik, which receives about 1.4 million tourists a year, said he did not expect the crisis to last long or seriously affect film productions and tourism in Dubrovnik.

“I honestly cannot imagine a single serious U.S. film and large production without including a major European city,” he said.

A refreshing summer break doesn’t have to mean draining your savings. With the right choices, you can unwind, explore, and recharge — all while staying within budget.

Here are five savvy destinations and travel strategies for those looking to make the most of their summer without overspending:

Skardu and Hunza – The Northern crown jewels

Best for: Nature lovers, solo adventurers, families

Budget tip: Travel by road and book local guesthouses

Pakistan’s north has long been a paradise for both seasoned hikers and casual sightseers. Skardu and Hunza, in particular, are ideal summer destinations, offering stunning mountain vistas, glacier-fed rivers, and cool climates. With the Karakoram Highway now more accessible, overland travel is not only scenic but also cost-effective.

Guesthouses and homestays in these regions offer comfortable, culturally rich experiences for a fraction of the cost of hotels. Consider travelling with a group to split transportation costs or join a budget-friendly tour — many offer all-inclusive packages starting under Rs 40,000 for 5–6 days.

Travelling over the summer holidays: 5 destinations to beat the heat

Turkey – Affordable meets exotic

Best for: First-time international travelers, history buffs

Budget tip: Fly via budget airlines and avoid peak tourist dates

With a rich blend of East and West, Turkey remains a top pick for budget-conscious Pakistani tourists, especially now that the Turkish Lira continues to stay low against the rupee. Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya offer world-class experiences — from hot air balloon rides to ancient ruins — without the hefty price tag.

Airbnb options and small boutique hotels are abundant and often include breakfast.

Malaysia – Southeast Asia’s underrated gem

Best for: Urban explorers, foodies, beachgoers

Budget tip: Use public transport and explore beyond Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia is often overlooked in favor of its more touristy neighbors, but it offers incredible value. Kuala Lumpur dazzles with futuristic towers and sprawling street markets, while Langkawi and Penang offer serene beaches and lush jungles.

The country’s excellent public transport and low-cost domestic flights mean you can explore multiple regions on a budget. Bonus: Pakistani passport holders can get a visa relatively easily, and halal food is widely available.

Baku, Azerbaijan – The budget European experience

Best for: Architecture lovers, culture seekers

Budget tip: Opt for Airbnb and book city passes

Baku offers the elegance of a European capital at a far more digestible price. From its flame-shaped skyscrapers to its cobblestoned Old City, it’s an Instagram-worthy destination that doesn’t demand a luxury budget. Round-trip airfare from Pakistan is becoming increasingly affordable, especially with growing competition on regional routes.

The city is compact and walkable, and attractions are relatively inexpensive. Consider city passes for public transport and bundled tourist entries, and enjoy low-cost local cuisine like qutab and dolma from traditional cafés.

Travelling in 2024: 5 places worth considering

Gwadar & Kund Malir – The coastal escape close to home

Best for: Road-trippers, weekenders

Budget tip: Self-drive and camp or stay in eco-resorts

If you’re looking to stay within the country but still want the feel of a true escape, Balochistan’s coastline is gaining traction for all the right reasons. The Makran Coastal Highway is a scenic drive rivaling international coastal routes, and the untouched beaches of Kund Malir and the emerging tourism in Gwadar are drawing curious travelers.

While infrastructure is still developing, that’s part of the charm. Go with a group, carry supplies, and consider beach camping — a rare and memorable experience for less than what you’d spend on a weekend in the city.

Smart travel tips to stretch your budget

• Set fare alerts for your destinations using apps like Skyscanner or Google Flights.

• Travel off-peak — midweek departures and late-August returns often cost less.

• Pack light to avoid airline baggage fees.

• Go local — eat where the locals eat, use public transport, and skip tourist traps.

• Bundle and save — look for travel packages or group tours, especially from local travel startups.

This is the thirteenth time in the history of the awards that Singapore Changi Airport has received this accolade. Last year’s winner, Doha’s Hamad International Airport came in second place, followed by Tokyo International Airport.

Mr. Yam Kum Weng, Chief Executive Officer of Changi Airport Group stated, “Changi Airport is honoured to be named by Skytrax as the World’s Best Airport for the 13th time,” he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by Skytrax.

“It is indeed gratifying to receive this recognition, and this certainly encourages us to continue to strive to provide the best travel experience.”

Dubai dropped to 11th place, from last year’s 7th, while Hong Kong, Paris, Rome, Munich and Zurich all made the top 10.

Doha dethrones Singapore as world’s best airport, Dubai comes in 7th place

Changi Airport boasts a 130 foot waterfall, a sunflower garden, a mirror maze, robots and world-class amenities.

The World’s Top 20 Airports for 2025

• Singapore Changi Airport
• Hamad International Airport
• Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
• Incheon International Airport
• Narita International Airport
• Hong Kong International Airport
• Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport
• Munich Airport
• Zurich Airport
• Dubai International Airport
• Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
• Vancouver International Airport
• Istanbul Airport
• Vienna International Airport
• Melbourne Airport
• Chubu Centrair International Airport
• Copenhagen Airport
• Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
• Bahrain International Airport

The investigation was launched in July 2023, after the AGCM watchdog discovered buying tickets online for the ancient amphitheatre was “essentially impossible”, it said.

The Colosseum is Italy’s most visited monument, attracting more than 12.3 million visitors in 2023, according to the culture ministry.

CoopCulture, which managed the official ticket sale service for access to the Colosseum from 1997 until 2024, was fined seven million euros ($7.65 million) “for knowingly contributing to the substantial and prolonged unavailability of base-priced tickets for entry to the Colosseum”, the AGCM said.

The company not only “failed to take adequate steps to counter automated ticket hoarding”, it also “kept a sizeable share of tickets for bundled sales tied to its own educational tours, which generated considerable profits”.

Tourists were “forced… to turn to tour operators and platforms that resold tickets bundled with additional services – such as guided tours, pickup or priority access – at much higher prices”, it added.

The watchdog also fined six tour operators who used automated tools to purchase tickets from CoopCulture, so they rapidly ran out.

“By doing so, the operators benefitted from the constant unavailability of tickets, which left consumers seeking access to the Colosseum with no choice but to purchase them through these channels – often at much higher prices due to the bundling with additional services”, it said.

The tour operators were named as Tiqets International BV, GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, Walks LLC, Italy With Family S.r.l., City Wonders Limited and Musement S.p.A.

The observation wheel, which offers visitors a 30-minute ride in a glass pod, was supposed to stand for five years before being dismantled, but its popularity led to it being made a permanent fixture on the River Thames last year.

On a clear day, tourists riding the wheel can spot Windsor Castle, the royal family’s 900 year-old home 40 kilometers (24.85 miles) away, while for Britons it has become synonymous with the city’s fireworks on New Year’s Eve. The wheel was the idea of husband and wife architects David Marks and Julia Barfield to celebrate the millennium. Its shape symbolises the cycle of life.

“A circle has no beginning and no end. It is symbolic of the passing of time,” Barfield told Reuters, adding that when it opened, it was one of the few options for a view of London from a height.

Since it started operating, the city’s skyline has been transformed by new skyscrapers that can be viewed from the wheel. All named after their shapes, The Gherkin opened in 2004, the Shard, London’s tallest building, followed in 2013 and the Cheesegrater in 2014.

About 3.5 million people pay from 29 pounds ($37.17) per ticket to ride the London Eye each year.

Its popularity has inspired dozens of copycat wheels in cities around the world, but at 135 metres (442.91 ft) tall, the London Eye remains the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel.

The architects’ plan was for the attraction to revitalise a part of London’s South Bank, and 1% of the attraction’s annual revenues are paid to help maintain the public area around.

Several times a week, she operates an agricultural drone over a farm in her hometown to help farmers spray pesticides and fertilizers on crops.

Hickey unveiled new details on how the city will function as a high-density, car-free city, emphasizing its livability, during an address.

“Think about Manhattan. You don’t need a car in Manhattan because the subway and avenues make everything accessible. Now imagine taking that concept and evolving it – instead of moving just horizontally, The Line allows you to move seamlessly upward as well.”

One of the standout features previously revealed about The Line imagines that the city will operate as a three-dimensional vertical metropolis, built with modular sections stacked in a linear format.

Hicket outlined how the road networks will be replaced by an “ultra-efficient six-tier mobility system”, where rapid vertical transport nodes will replace traditional elevators.

“Urban sprawl is outdated. We are moving beyond the old way of expanding cities by simply adding more roads,” he said.

“The Line will be the world’s first major city built without cars. Instead, residents will move using a high-speed underground rail system, general mass transit, and a network of rapid vertical transportation.”

Saudi opens resort island at futuristic mega-city

In 2021, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Saudi announced a huge new zero-carbon city to be built at NEOM in northwestern Saudi Arabia, as part of Vision 2030. The ambitious project is one of many aimed at diversifying the economy economically, socially, and culturally.

The project was slated be home to a million people and have no cars or streets.

Another revelation from Hickey’s Davos address was the futuristic stadium suspended 350 meters above ground, designed to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup and other global sporting events.

“This will be a stadium like nothing seen before,” Hickey said. “The playing field will sit at the height of the Empire State Building. Fans will experience games in a completely new way — suspended in the sky, with breathtaking views across the city.”

Artificial Intelligence, is also set to be a key feature for seamless operations.

“The goal is not to build a city that just looks futuristic—it has to function in a way that enhances daily life,” added Hickey.

Riyadh Air set to begin operations end of 2025

Dozens of camper trailers are lined up, with simple facilities set up in the open air against a backdrop featuring the world’s tallest building, the needle-like Burj Khalifa – a symbol of the ostentatious lifestyles and consumerism associated with the city.

Khaled al-Kaissi, 38, is among the minority of the population – around 10 percent – who are native Emiratis.

In the United Arab Emirates, foreign labour largely from Asia is cheaply available, including for household help, to the benefit of many locals.

But “sometimes you need simple things”, like preparing your own cup of tea, he said, voicing a desire for “simplicity and humility”.

On the sandy ground, some visitors at the makeshift urban camping site have set up rugs and cushions to create a “majlis”, a type of communal living room traditional in the Gulf.

Others sit in regular camping chairs.

Like many countries on the Arabian Peninsula, the United Arab Emirates was largely undeveloped before the discovery of oil in the late 1950s.

Less rich in hydrocarbons than other UAE emirates, Dubai became a regional leader in economic diversification.

It turned itself into an ultra-modern metropolis, a regional business and financial centre, and a popular destination with grandiose attractions.

Despite the rapid transformation of their way of life and the influx of expatriates, Emiratis remain attached to their camping culture – when temperatures drop enough for them to comfortably avoid air-conditioned shopping centres, that is.

Dubai: learning from a tourism success story

It is a tradition tied to their Bedouin ancestors.

“The idea comes from our great-great-grandparents because they used to live in the desert… and they passed down this tradition to us,” said Wissam Hamad Skandarani, 33, a Palestinian-American with an Emirati mother.

Under the stars, he was getting ready to watch a football match on television.

Skandarani is in the habit of spending weekends camping in the desert, but since he found this spot a month ago he’s been coming every evening. Here, he meets his friends after work in Dubai’s financial district just a few minutes away.

“You have the city, and the beach in front of you. And you have the view,” he said. “You’re in heaven.”

‘Surreal’

Ahmed Rashed al-Ali came from the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah to camp with his friends.

Since buying his camper three years ago, Ali has taken it to cities across the UAE and also elsewhere in the Gulf.

“We used to put up the tent in one spot but the mobile home has modernised camping. You move around, one day in the mountains, one day at the beach, another in the desert,” he said.

Ali and others know full well that their camping spot likely won’t be spared from Dubai’s frenetic construction for long.

Authorities ignore them as long as the improvised camping sites are clean and well organised, said Mohammed Chammas, 46, a factory owner.

“But we are waiting for the time they come and tell us that something is going to be built and they ask us to move on,” he said.

In the meantime, visitors travelling with a camper van pass along via the internet the secret of this striking view of the Burj Khalifa – which tourists staying in city hotels would likely pay a lot for.

Sophie Ullrich, a 34-year-old German, has criss-crossed the deserts of the Gulf with her husband in their 4x4 converted into a camper van.

They, like the Emiratis, also found themselves at the unofficial campground in Dubai.

“Being here was special,” she said. “We were sitting there in front of the car… looking at the skyline, having our Toyota in the background, and it felt so surreal.”

“With over 2.7 million Pakistani travelers visiting Saudi in 2024 and an anticipated 2.87 million in 2025, the country is strengthening its accessibility and diverse experiences beyond religious tourism. Saudi is enhancing travel for various segments, including solo female travelers, destination weddings, and cultural exploration.

“Pakistani talent and travelers are making a significant impact on Saudi’s thriving tourism and entertainment industries. In 2024, Pakistani esports players dominated the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, outshining over 1,700 competitors and showcasing their rising prowess on the global gaming stage.

“Additionally, the LEAP IT Expo recorded the highest-ever participation of Pakistani exhibitors, highlighting Pakistan’s growing influence in the tech industry. The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector has also seen remarkable growth, with 37 Pakistani tourism groups actively engaging in Saudi’s dynamic event landscape.

“To further drive tourism, the Saudi Click Campaign will highlight the country’s diverse seasons, stunning landscapes, and rich cultural experiences. This initiative aims to attract travelers in search of unique and memorable adventures. The campaign will focus on showcasing Saudi through vibrant colors, encouraging Pakistani buyers from the fashion and media industries to choose Saudi as their next creative and business partner.

“Offering seamless travel experiences, Saudi’s latest initiatives include Group Inclusive Tours (GITs) for effortless group travel and exclusive last-minute Ramadan deals, allowing visitors to experience the spiritual essence of the Holy Month in an immersive setting.

“The introduction of the e-visa for Umrah pilgrims has further simplified religious travel, granting unrestricted entry to any Saudi airport.

“As the largest hub for direct flights between Pakistan and Saudi, the country boasts an extensive air network and a streamlined tourist visa process, making travel between the two nations easier than ever. Visitors can explore eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, enjoy a business-friendly environment, and experience Umrah travel without the need for a mahram, reinforcing Saudi’s commitment to seamless accessibility.

“Beyond accessibility, Saudi offers a wealth of travel experiences catering to every kind of visitor:

• The Aseer Region provides an enchanting summer escape with its misty landscapes, towering highlands, and lush greenery.

• Taif, famed for its breathtaking rose gardens and the exhilarating Cable Car Adventure, offers travelers panoramic views of its stunning mountain scenery.

• Jeddah, the coastal and cultural capital, invites visitors to explore Al Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with centuries-old souks and historic architecture. The city’s vibrant marine life, world-class exhibitions like the Jeddah Biennale, and scenic Jeddah Corniche make it a must-visit destination.

• Riyadh, during the winter months, transforms into a cultural hotspot with Riyadh Season, featuring spectacular attractions like Boulevard World and immersive entertainment experiences. The historic Diriyah, the birthplace of Saudi, offers a year-round journey into the country’s rich past, while the golden Arabian dunes provide one of the world’s most unique desert adventures.

• AlUla captivates history enthusiasts with its breathtaking landmarks, including Hegra (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Elephant Rock, and Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building, blending heritage with modern luxury.

Looking ahead, Saudi is set to redefine luxury travel with the launch of The Saudi Red Sea’s exclusive hotels, including Six Senses Southern Dunes, JW Marriott, and 7th Reserve—the world’s seventh Ritz-Carlton Reserve—alongside the recently launched Shebara.

These resorts promise an unparalleled seaside experience, blending sustainability with high-end hospitality.

With a commitment to world-class hospitality and seamless accessibility, Saudi is rapidly becoming a top destination for Pakistani travelers.

Offering a diverse range of experiences—from rich heritage and thrilling adventures to accommodations that suit every budget, from affordable stays to luxury retreats—Saudi ensures an unforgettable journey for all. As a Global Sports Hub and the Heart of Arabia, Saudi is increasing travel consideration and fostering meaningful collaborations with partners, strengthening its role as a premier travel and business destination.

The figure broke the previous high of 89.1 million in 2018, Dubai Airports said, despite regional tensions caused by the Gaza war and last April’s unprecedented floods which badly disrupted operations.

The United Arab Emirates city, located between Asia, Europe and Africa, has now been ranked as the world’s busiest international air hub for a decade.

In a statement, Dubai’s ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called the airport a “global success story” and said it was targeting 400 international destinations, up from 272 currently.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said he was confident of breaching 100 million passengers by 2027.

Dubai airport resumes normal operations after global outage hits check-in desks

Dubai, now expecting competition from a major new airport being built in Riyadh, in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, is also planning a $35 billion expansion and relocation to Al Maktoum International, on the city’s outskirts.

The trade, tourism and business centre is also witnessing record real-estate prices and soaring population growth, spurred by the UAE’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil.

Passenger volume this year is projected to grow 4.5% from 2024, when 18.2 million Americans went on ocean cruises, according to the industry group. The increase is slower than the 7.7% rise last year and a solid 42% growth in 2023.

Cruise operators were among the worst hit in the travel industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, but their recovery was sharp. Despite the slowing growth, 2025 is expected to be the third straight year of record cruise passenger volume, AAA said.

AAA expects the Caribbean to be the top destination for American travelers this year.

Operators such as Royal Caribbean Carnival Corp and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings saw record demand last year as more people across age groups chose cruises despite a rise in itinerary prices.

This boosted their stocks, with Royal Caribbean’s shares gaining 78%, while those of Carnival and Norwegian Cruise rose about 34% and 28% respectively last year.

AAA’s forecast is calculated based on scheduled cruise itineraries covering all major cruise vessels, the economic outlook and travel sector trends. The forecast is prepared in partnership with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company.

In a letter to Culture Minister Rachida Dati, revealed by Paris daily Le Parisien and confirmed to Reuters by the Louvre, Louvre President Laurence des Cars warned that the centuries-old building is in a dire state, and pointed at problems with water leaks and “worrying temperature swings which endanger the conservation of works of art”.

Built in Paris in the late 12th century, the Louvre Palace for centuries was the official residence of the kings of France, until Louis XIV - weary of rebellious crowds in Paris - abandoned it for Versailles, after which it became a museum for the royal art collection in 1793.

Last year, the Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors, who all entered via the pyramid-shaped western entrance, designed by architect I.M. Pei, which itself has become problematic as its greenhouse effect makes the Louvre’s subterranean reception uncomfortably hot on summer days.

A visit to the Louvre, the museum’s head wrote, has become “a physical ordeal”, with artworks being hard to find due to inadequate signage, lack of space for visitors to take a break, and insufficient food and sanitary facilities.

Designed to receive four million visitors a year, the Louvre saw record attendance of 10.2 million visitors in 2018, but des Cars - who was appointed in 2021 - has imposed a limit of 30,000 visitors per day in order to avoid overcrowding.

The British teenager who killed three young girls in the English town of Southport was jailed for at least 52 years on Thursday.

Des Cars’ letter did not mention financing, but French TV news channel BFM said renovation costs could amount to 500 million euros ($520 million), which would be a challenge for President Emmanuel Macron’s government which has struggled to gets its 2025 budget approved by parliament.

Le Parisien reported that talks are under way between Macron’s office, the culture ministry and the Louvre. A source close to Macron’s office confirmed that “the president has followed this issue with attention for several months”.

The culture ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After his first election in 2017, Macron gave his victory speech in front of the Louvre, while the Tuileries gardens around the former palace also played a prominent role during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Besides a top-to-bottom renovation, the museum is also considering building a new wing for the Mona Lisa, as well as a new entrance on the eastern end of the museum, to relieve congestion at the Pyramid entrance. ($1 = 0.9615 euros)

As world tourism returned to pre-pandemic levels with 1.4 billion people taking a trip abroad, according to the UN, both France and Spain announced record visitor numbers.

“While France is still the world leader in this sector, we are facing fierce competition, particularly from Spain,” said French Tourism Minister Nathalie Delattre in an interview with the daily Le Figaro.

Spain said last week that a record 94 million foreign tourists flocked to the Iberian nation in 2024, a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

France, which hosted the Olympic Games in July - September 2024, welcomed two more million visitors in 2024, an increase of two percent compared with 2023.

But although France had more visitors, they spent less than those in Spain – 71 billion euros ($74 billion) compared with 126 billion euros in Spain.

“We need to work to increase the average each visitor spends and get our visitors to stay longer,” Delattre said.

France’s takings from international tourists rose by a total of 12 percent year-on-year, driven largely by Belgian, English, German, Swiss and US citizens, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

Overnight stays by US tourists rose by five percent, the ministry added, calling the Americans “a key clientele” with strong purchasing power.

Despite the return of customers from Asia, the number of Chinese visitors to France remained 60 percent lower than before the pandemic.

Thirty percent fewer Japanese visited the country than in 2019.

Good snowfall in late 2024 meanwhile drove a rebound for the end-of-year holidays as snow sports lovers flocked to the French ski slopes.

“The outlook for the first quarter of 2025 is very good, with visitor numbers on the rise,” the ministry statement added.

These rankings come on the heels of fresh sets of rejections for UAE visas for Pakistani nationals during the winter season.

Pakistan’s passport came in at 103 out of 106 in the rankings. Last year, it was also tied with Yemen at 100th place.

The Henley Passport Index ranks the world’s 199 passports according to the number of destinations they can access visa-free, based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Singapore retained its crown as the most powerful passport in the world with visa-free access to 195 out of 227 destinations worldwide, and Japan in the runner-up spot with a score of 193.

Pakistan remains among worst passports in the world, Singapore retains top spot

Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain jointly came in third place.

UAE came in 10th place – the only Arab state to ever make it into the upper echelons of the rankings.

The UAE is one of the biggest climbers on the index over the past decade, having secured access to an additional 72 destinations since 2015, enabling it to climb 32 places to 10th spot with visa-free access to 185 destinations worldwide, according to a press release issued by Henley on Wednesday.

US (9th place) and UK passports (5th place) were among the biggest decliners, while China was the biggest climber over the past decade.

Annie Pforzheimer, Senior Associate at Washington think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the continued comparative decline of the US in terms of global mobility is no surprise.

“Even before the advent of a second Trump presidency, American political trends had become notably inward-looking and isolationist,” according to the press statement.

Dr Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of international investment migration advisory firm Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, added, “the very notion of citizenship and its birthright lottery needs a fundamental rethink as temperatures rise, natural disasters become more frequent and severe, displacing communities and rendering their environments uninhabitable.”

“Simultaneously, political instability and armed conflicts in various regions force countless people to flee their homes in search of safety and refuge. The need to introduce Free Global Cities to harness the untapped potential of displaced people and other migrants, transforming them from victims of circumstance into architects of their own futures has never been more pressing or apparent,” he was quoted as saying in the press release.

US citizens were also notably top applicants for a second citizenship.

Pakistani passport retains status as fourth-worst in the world

Key travel trends in 2025

Meanwhile, the world of travel is preparing itself for a digital overhaul in 2025.

This year marks a pivotal uptick in digital border control, from the UK’s ETA expansions to the long-anticipated European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

The UK has been rolling out its ETA system in phases. Initially open to Gulf Cooperation Council nationals in February 2024, the scheme extends to eligible non-European travelers this month (January 2025), and will extend to six million citizens from Australia, Canada, and the US.

Projections by Henley & Partners and New World Wealth indicate an even greater surge in millionaire migration worldwide, with 142,000 high-net-worth individuals with liquid investable wealth of $1 million or more expected to relocate and seek new horizons, according to the press statement.

The nation’s vital tourism sector accounts for almost 20 percent of its GDP but has struggled in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and changing traveller habits.

More than 35 million visitors visited the kingdom in 2024, around four million shy of its pre-pandemic high in 2019, according to the Ministry of Sports and Tourism.

China has reclaimed its position as the top source of visitors in Thailand – after seeing a decline post-pandemic – with more than six million visitors last year, followed by Malaysia and India.

CNN names scenic G-B among best places to visit in 2025

The kingdom – known for its pristine beaches and iconic temples – generated more than 1.6 trillion baht ($46 billion) from tourist spending in 2024, according to tourism minister Sorawong Thienthong.

The Thai government under former prime minister Srettha Thavisin introduced a number of measures to attract foreign visitors, including a free visa programme for Chinese and Indian tourists.

After exceeding its target of 35 million tourists in 2024, the government has set a target of 39 million visitors in 2025.

The World Bank has estimated that the country will exceed its pre-pandemic level in 2025, but tourists are spending less than they did before.

The Gilgit-Baltistan, a sparsely populated northern region is home to some of the tallest peaks in the world and a major tourist destination.

Thousands of tourists and foreign climbers visit the region each year for expeditions on various peaks, paragliding and other sports activities.

Pakistan’s scenic beauty can be turned into a great opportunity: PM

“The Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Karokoram Mountains isn’t the easiest place to get to — flight schedules can be unreliable, roads can be blocked off seasonally — but it has more tantalizing peaks than a lemon meringue pie,” CNN Travel said.

“It’s home to five of the 14 ‘eight-thousander’ peaks recognized as the world’s highest. That includes K2, the world’s second-tallest mountain but No. 1 in terms of difficulty and danger.”

In terms of tourism and infrastructure, hiking in this region makes the Himalayas look like a traipse in Central Park, but GB is a place where going alone is not an option, according to CNN Travel.

While 2024 saw a surge in mountaineering expeditions in GB, nine mountaineers died last year in their attempts to summit various peaks in the South Asian country, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, which arranges various expeditions. Of these climbers, five were from Japan, one from Russia, one from Brazil and two from Pakistan.

GB, however, is accessible through trips organized by reputable global tour operators, including G Adventures and Wild Frontiers, according to CNN Travel.

“Intrepid offers a 10-day, fully supported hike through the region known as ‘Little Tibet’ starting at around $3,000,” it said.

Other top destinations on the CNN Travel list include Almaty in Kazakhstan, India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bolivia, Chemnitz in Germany, Morocco’s Rabat, Vancouver Island in Canada, and Turkiye’s Kaçkar Mountains.

The work, for which the city of Rome set a 327,000 euro budget, included removing dirt, pollution, iron oxide and limescale from the 18th century monument, one of the best known of Rome’s many tourist attractions.

During that time, the fountain had been drained but visitors were able to view it from a temporary footbridge.

To avoid a return of the big crowds that customarily engulfed the small square housing the fountain, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said visitors will have to form a queue with 400 people at a time allowed by the fountain.

Tourists won’t have to rush, with no time limit set to walk from one end of the fountain to the other, but they won’t be permitted to sit on its border. In the future, the city of Rome may consider introducing a ticket for the monument, Gualtieri added.

Florence’s landmark passageway over Ponte Vecchio reopens to public

The Vatican expects up to 32 million tourists will descend on the Italian capital for the Jubilee, putting Rome’s antiquated infrastructure under enormous strain and adding to the headaches of managing the flow of visitors.

Completed in 1762, the fountain is a late Baroque masterpiece, with statues of Tritons guiding the shell chariot of the god Oceanus, illustrating the theme of the taming of the waters.

Tradition dictates that visitors toss a coin into the fountain to guarantee their return to Rome. During the works, visitors had to throw coins into a temporary pool.

It is also remembered for one of cinema’s most famous scenes when in Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” Anita Ekberg wades into the fountain and beckons her co-star Marcello Mastroianni to join her: “Marcello! Come here!”.

The Vasari Corridor, named after Giorgio Vasari, the 16th century architect, painter and art historian who designed it, snakes its way through central Florence, passing over the Arno river via the Ponte Vecchio bridge, one of the city’s landmarks.

The Uffizi museum, which manages the corridor and oversaw restoration and safety upgrades costing 11 million euros ($11.5 million), called it, in a statement, an “air tunnel” hovering over the heart of the city.

“The reopening is extremely important for us because … it is about returning to the public one of the most famous and fabled monuments of the Renaissance,” the head of the Uffizi Galleries, Simone Verde, told Reuters.

It was built in 1565, in just a few months, to allow Florence’s rulers to move freely between their home and Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of government, passing also through the Uffizi Galleries.

The corridor, which had been closed since 2016, will open to groups of up to 25 people at a time, who can walk through it from the Uffizi to the Pitti’s Boboli Gardens, crossing over the Arno from the right bank to the left.

In recent decades the passageway hosted the Uffizi’s vast number of self-portraits, but in its newly restored state its walls were stripped of all paintings and left bare as they were five centuries ago.

Tickets for a combined visit to the corridor and the Uffizi, whose outstanding collection includes works by Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Botticelli, must be booked in advance and cost 43 euros ($44.60). ($1 = 0.9644 euros)

The findings showed that all routes across Asia Pacific saw significant growth during the year as the post-pandemic recovery continued.

Hong Kong-Taipei led the way with over 6.7 million seats. Cairo-Jeddah came in second place with over 5.4 million seats followed by Seoul-Tokyo. Dubai-Riyadh, which came in sixth place, collated over 4.3 million passengers, and a 37% capacity growth since 2019.

Dubai’s DXB airport tops Middle East ranking of most connected airports in the world: report

The busiest air routes are defined as those with the largest volume of scheduled airline seats in the year 2024, according to OAG.

The results were collated from the period spanning from January to December 2024, powered by OAG’s Global Airline Schedules Data, to offer a comprehensive view of route performance and trends.

“One of the most interesting developments is the growth in regional Middle East markets with a particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia where the Vision 2030 project continues to drive both business and leisure demand,” John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, was quoted as saying by a press release issued on Tuesday by OAG.

Middle East-International: For flights originating or flying to the Middle East, the most popular route was Cairo-Jeddah with over 5.4 million passengers flown.

Dubai-London came in third place with over 3.1 million seats, followed by Cairo-Riyadh, Dubai-Jeddah and Mumbai-Dubai.

Dubai-Kuwait (7th place), Delhi-Dubai (8th place) and Bahrain-Dubai(10th place) were other popular routes in 2024.

European routes

Among European routes, New York-London led the European sector with over 4 million passengers flown in 2024, while Dubai-Turkey came in ninth place with over 2 million seats.

Other popular routes within this region included Lisbon-Madrid (5th place), Rome-Madrid (3rd place) and Frankfurt-London (10th place)

Domestic routes: Within the Middle East, Jeddah-Riyadh proved the most popular route with over 8.7 million passengers in 2024. Madinah-Riyadh came in 6th place with over 1.9 million passengers.

Among domestic travel, Jeju-Seoul dominated the list with over 14 million seats. Jeddah-Riyadh came in 6th place with over 8.7 million seats and Mumbai-Delhi was in 8th place.

Within North America, Vancouver-Toronto was the most popular route, servicing over 3.4 million passengers. New York-Los Angeles came in 7th place with over 3.1 million seats, while Las Vegas-Los Angeles came in 6th place.

Top 10 Busiest International Flight Routes of 2024

1. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)-Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei (TPE): 6.8 million seats;

2. Cairo International Airport (CAI)-King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah (JED): 5.47 million seats;

3. Incheon International Airport, Seoul (ICN)-Narita International Airport, Tokyo (NRT): 5.4 million seats;

4. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Kuala Lumpur (KUL)-Changi Airport, Singapore (SIN): 5.38 million seats;

5. Incheon International Airport, Seoul (ICN)-Kansai International Airport, Osaka (KIX): 4.98 million seats;

6. Dubai International Airport (DXB)-King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh (RUH): 4.3 million seats;

7. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok (BKK)-Hong Kong International Airport (HKG): 4.2 million seats;

8. Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, Jakarta (CGK)-Changi Airport, Singapore (SIN): 4.07 million seats;

9. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok (BKK)-Changi Airport, Singapore (SIN): 4.03 million seats;

10. John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York (JFK)-Heathrow Airport, London (LHR): 4.01 million seats.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Depicting a bearded man wearing a tunic, the marble statue has adorned one of the Duomo’s 135 spires for two centuries.

But decades of harsh weather, pollution and the bombings of the Second World War have taken their toll, leaving it discoloured and missing its right hand.

The damage to the statue was spotted during the twice-yearly inspections of the cathedral, by the institution that has managed the building for 600 years, the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano.

Too fragile to put back, Calderino has created a perfect replica to take its place – the latest of a steady stream of replacements that maintain the splendour of one of Italy’s most famous monuments.

Born from a block

“For me, a statue is like a child that I see grow day by day. It is fascinating to see it born from a block of marble after months of work,” Calderino told AFP at the workshop, where around 20 stonemasons practise their craft.

There are more than 3,400 statues on the Duomo, on which construction began in 1386.

They are carved from the dazzling pink-white marble from Candoglia quarry near Lake Maggiore northwest of Milan – and from where Calderino and his colleagues still take marble today.

“Candoglia marble is very beautiful, very special, but it is difficult to work on because it has very large calcite grains that can break, so it is fragile,” said Marco Scolari, the geologist in charge of the workshop and quarry.

The techniques of the team in Milan would also be recognisable to the craftsmen of old, albeit with some technological help.

First, Calderino, 46, makes a rough outline in the marble with his chisel.

Then with surgical precision, he sculpts it with a pneumatic hammer, before smoothing it with an abrasive stone.

‘Adopt’ a statue

In the small backyard of the workshop, the old statues form a silent crowd, waiting for a new home.

Of the around 100 decapitated, disfigured or limbless figures, several have a small white sign around their necks saying “adopt a statue!”

For an annual fee of 25,000 euros ($26,280) for up to three years, companies can take in one of the Duomo statues – and in doing so, benefit from a tax break, and a little history.

Consulting firm Deloitte took in an imposing depiction of biblical hero Samson and the lion he is said to have killed with his bare hands, created in the 17th century by Giovanni Battista Buzzi.

Such ‘adoptions’ “bring a little piece of the Duomo into their company”, said Elisa Mantia, the Duomo’s culture and conservation coordinator.

Many of them end up in the Duomo Museum, where the statues can be admired close up.

The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA), which operates the Big Apple’s sprawling – and sometimes detested – subway system, is reintroducing R1-9s onto the tracks for a limited time, complete with early 20th century accoutrements.

In one car, for instance, a 1960s-style advertisement pays tribute to “the late president” next to a black-and-white photo of John F. Kennedy.

The blast from the past – made possible through a collaboration between the MTA and the Transit Museum – is being celebrated by New Yorkers, with some dressing up to match the part.

On a cold December Sunday morning, travelers in period-appropriate costume stand alongside passengers in contemporary fashion, forming a delightfully anachronistic mix.

Latoya Fulton, a 40-year-old Bronx native who brought her daughter along to share the experience, savors the nostalgia.

“I remember riding the train with my mom, going to Yankee Stadium,” she told AFP. “I remember just being, just happy looking out the window when we went outside for the outside stop.”

Paddle ceiling fans swirl overhead and incandescent light bulbs lend a theatrical vibe.

With no public address system on the vintage trains, a volunteer crewmember is left to call out the approaching stops.

‘Test of time’

Rider Fox Hutson dons a military cap and camouflage jumpsuit for the journey, dressing as if he were a US soldier returning from war.

“The past is going away, but this is the only way to preserve it and see some nice people,” the 53-year-old photographer said. “It’s a test of time, and these things still work.”

Though the R1-9 train cars were widespread for decades since being introduced in the 1930s, they were fully withdrawn from service by 1977.

The cars represent a touchstone in US history, inspiring artists like jazz legend Duke Ellington with his song ‘Take the A Train.’

“This was the first mass transit that grew the city,” said Todd Glickman, a volunteer with the Transit Museum.

“It used to be in the early part of the 1900s, people would have to live very close to where they worked and where they went to school,” he went on to explain.

“And because of the advent of the subway system in 1904, people could travel in a short amount of time and that’s what created the growth of the city.”

Dubai Shopping Festival

As the airport works on overdrive, processing ample visitors, the shopping festival is already underway, offering discounts, live entertainment, and much more.

One can avail special deals as well as special programming for children as well as pop-up markets.

From concerts to fashion: as temperature tempers, 8 events to attend in Dubai

Madinat Jumeirah Festive Market

There are plenty of winter and Christmas markets popping up around town and here we have rounded up a few that are worth visiting. Head down to Fort Island, which has been transformed a winter wonderland.

It features free entry and a 36-foot Christmas tree, a North Pole train ride and a Venetian carousel.

Madinat Jumeirah Festive Market, Fort Island, Madinat Jumeirah until December 31.

Tree Lightings are also take place across the city at hotels such as Raffles The Palm, JA The Resort and Jumeirah Golf Estates Clubhouse through the month of December.

New Year’s Eve

The main event in Dubai, are the iconic Burj Khalifa fireworks set to mark the beginning of the new year, and visible from the city’s many restaurants, residences and rooftops.

If you haven’t already made a booking at the city’s countless restaurants for a spot on December 31, we would suggest you do so.

Many restaurants offer prix fixe menus along with entertainment for the night along with fellow revelers. Those spots with a view of the Burj Khalifa are set to book up fast.

Live performances: concerts, musicals

Plenty global formers are set to perform in UAE this season, with Lionel Richie set to perform at Atlantis The Palm, on New Year’s Eve.

The luxury hotel will host a Broadway-themed black-tie affair with theatrical performances. Tickets begin at AED6,500 for adults and AED4,500 for children.

Gipsy Kings are also set to perform at Festival City while Andrea Bocelli is set to perform at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi on December 31.

Thinking of travelling to Dubai? here are some recommendations this season

Ricky Martin will perform an array of his classic hits on December 14 at the Coca-Cola Arena, while Atif Aslam is set to perform at Coca-Cola Arena on February 1. Tickets begin at DHS150.

Coldplay will perform their sold-out tour in Abu Dhabi in January. While tickets are currently only available on resale websites, plenty hotels are selling packages that include tickets to the show as well.

Greenday is also set to perform at Expo City on January 27. Tickets begin at AED400.

Some holiday favorites are also set to showcase this season.

The Nutcracker at Dubai Opera will run from December 19-22 by Astana Opera ballet and orchestra. Tickets begin at DHS290.

A musical, ‘Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ will run at the Zabeel Theatre from December 20 to 24. Tickets begin at DHS200.

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

This annual literary even will feature writers, authors, workshops as well as a concert.

The 2024 edition saw luminaries like Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch, meditation expert Gelong Thubten and UAE astronauts Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi take to the stage to speak on topics ranging from pop culture to psychology and AI to history.

InterContinental Dubai Festival City, January 29-February 3.

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Dubai is no stranger to sports tourism and holds global sporting tournaments through the course of the year.

The annual ATP 500 event will be held from February 16 – March 1, 2025. Featured players next year will include Naomi Osaka, including former winners Daniil Medvedev and Jasmine Paolini.

Tickets are currently on sale.

France’s parliament approved a bill this month allowing cities to clamp down on short-term furnished rentals to combat a lack of affordable housing.

The French capital, one of the world’s top tourist destinations, is among many cities worldwide where officials and activists complain rentals are encouraging “Airbnb entrepreneurs” and speculators to snap up real estate, leading to housing shortages for residents.

Paris’ Louvre museum to hike ticket prices by 29%

Under new rules approved by the Paris city council, which take effect January 1, the maximum number of days a primary residence can be rented will be slashed from 120 per year to 90.

Owners will be required to declare their properties on a national online registry and prove their properties are primary residences, with fraudsters facing a 20,000-euro fine.

The fine for illegally changing a property’s designated use will double, from 50,000 euros to 100,000 euros.

Jacques Baudrier, Paris deputy mayor for housing, hailed the regulations as a “historic win”, after a more than decade-long push for tighter rules.

“We now have much more efficient legal weapons,” he said.

Platforms that fail to block users who violate the maximum number of rental days and concierge services that act as “accomplices” to fraudulent renters will also face fines.

Airbnb criticized the measures in a statement, calling them a “diversion” from the real problems driving housing shortages.

“In other cities that have put in place drastic measures of this type, such as New York, there has been no positive impact on the long-term rental market,” it said.

Paris officials estimate 25,000 apartments in the city are currently up for short-term rental illegally, generating one billion euros in annual revenue.

Sirocco, a joint venture between Heineken and Dubai state-linked Maritime Mercantile International, said it will build a brewery that will produce popular beer brands in Dubai, which has long allowed alcohol consumption.

Construction will begin before the end of 2025 with the brewery expected to open by the end of 2027, it said, adding that all necessary licenses and permits had been obtained.

Abu Dhabi sees first beer made in Arab Gulf

Dubai is the most populous of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

Its hotels, beaches and attractions like the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, attracted some 17 million people last year, many from Europe, Russia and India.

In recent years, restrictions around purchasing alcohol in store in Dubai have loosened.

In 2021, a circular issued by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi included a ‘Fermentation Permit’ as part of its guidelines on licensing procedures for alcoholic beverages.

Abu Dhabi, the capital and largest emirate, has also eased regulations with at least one bar offering locally brewed beer.

On Tuesday, about 2.7 million passengers were screened at airport security checkpoints, the highest ever for a Tuesday before Thanksgiving and beating last year’s record, according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The travel industry expects even more travelers on Wednesday and Sunday, Dec. 1.

Industry group Airlines for America expects more than 3 million passengers on each day, respectively.

Record 80 million Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving holiday

Some travelers may encounter inclement weather with portions of the East and West coast under winter storm warnings, said William Churchhill, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. In the upper mid-west of the United States, temperatures are expected to fall as low as -40 degrees during the holiday period.

“All things considered though, not too bad for a winter holiday,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said inclement weather and volume drive nearly all flight delays.

United Airlines said on Tuesday that an acute shortage of air traffic controllers was causing “significant disruption” for travelers at its busy Newark, New Jersey, hub outside of New York City.

For the Thanksgiving travel period, the agency will implement traffic flow management initiatives to address any staffing shortages as needed, a spokesperson said.

About 4,800 flights were delayed in, within and out of the United States on Tuesday while 82 flights were canceled, according to tracking website FlightAware.

A record 80 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving with cruise companies expected to see a 20% increase in passengers, according to industry group AAA.

Royal Caribbean Groups said from Nov. 26 to Dec. 2, nearly its entire fleet will be sailing, representing nearly 150,000 berths, the number of passengers a cabin can sleep.

Its creator, who spent almost 20 years making the distinctive four-storey Arimaston Building, thinks his slow approach to construction can be an example to the world.

“It used to be that there weren’t enough things in the world, but now there are too many,” 59-year-old Keisuke Oka told AFP inside the building’s curved grey walls.

“We need to stop mass-producing things and find another way, otherwise we’ll be in trouble.”

With its wobbly lines and weird, wonderful ornamentation, Oka’s building has been compared to the animated Studio Ghibli movie “Howl’s Moving Castle”.

The architect himself has been dubbed the Gaudi of Mita, referencing the famed Spanish architect and the Tokyo area where Arimaston Building is located.

Inspired by Japan’s avant-garde butoh dance, Oka made up the design as he went along.

Growing up, he felt buildings in Japan’s towns and cities looked “very sad and devoid of life”, as if they were “all designed on a computer”.

“The person who constructs a building and the person who designs a building are very far apart,” he said.

“In order to give the building some life, I thought I would try to think and build together at the same time.”

High-rise contrast

Oka started construction in 2005. Apart from the help of a few friends, he made the entire building himself by hand.

He claims the concrete – which he mixed himself – is of such high quality that it will last for over 200 years.

Oka says the structure is basically finished. He plans to live in the top three storeys and use the ground and basement floors as a studio and exhibition space.

When he started, he had no idea the project would take almost two decades.

“I thought with the ability I had, I could do it in three years,” he said, explaining that the improvised nature of his design brought constant challenges.

Oka grew up in rural Japan and was an exceptional architecture student who was told by his teachers he would go a long way.

He suffered a physical breakdown in his 30s and gave up architecture for a while, before his wife persuaded him to buy a small plot and build a house.

He says making Arimaston Building has restored his confidence, and he enjoys the amazed reaction of people walking past.

“It’s very easy to understand the contrast with the high-rise buildings right behind it,” he said.

“I think there is some value that the city can take from it.”

Throw-away society

Arimaston Building stands alone on a sloped street, making it all the more striking.

The area is undergoing large-scale redevelopment, and the apartments that once stood next door have been demolished.

As part of the changes, Oka’s building is scheduled to be moved 10 metres backwards in a process that involves transporting the entire structure on rails.

Once that is complete, he intends to move in and continue working on the finishing touches, alongside his university teaching jobs.

Amid all the upheaval in the area, Oka hopes people will be able to see the value of making something by hand.

He says he was inspired by his upbringing, when his mother made clothes for the family because they couldn’t afford to buy them.

“More than half of the clothes we make now, we throw away, he said, describing a world “overflowing with things”.

“We need to start making things at a slower pace,” Oka said.

About 1.7 million more people will travel this year from Tuesday, Nov. 26 to Monday, Dec. 2, compared to a similar period in 2023.

Although staffing and aircraft shortages have capped the airline industry’s ability to ramp up capacity during the holidays in previous years, a record number of Americans are expected to fly to their destinations this year.

American Airlines plans to shuttle 8.3 million passengers from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3, about 500,000 more customers than last year. Delta Air Lines said it is expecting a record 6.5 million passengers over a 12-day period, a 5% year-over-year increase.

Southwest Airlines and American Airlines both said their passenger volumes will peak on Sunday, Dec. 1, as more travelers plan to return home immediately following the holiday versus extending their trips.

United Airlines said its passenger volumes on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving have increased 20% from 2023, while demand for Monday and Tuesday is flat.

The air carrier is expecting a record 6.2 million total passengers over a 13-day period.

Travelers are paying more to travel domestically this year, with the average airfare priced at $273 as of the end of October, up 9% from last year, according to travel booking app Hopper. However, airfares for the holiday remain lower than in 2022 and pre-pandemic levels, the company said.

International flight booking numbers are up 23% compared to last Thanksgiving, while average ticket costs are down 5%, the AAA said.

Car travel

AAA projects a record 71.7 million people will embark on road trips across the country, a 1.3 million increase from last year.

Falling oil prices may help push the national average gasoline price below $3 a gallon for the first time since 2021.

Bus, cruise and train travel

Nearly 2.3 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation including by bus, a 9% increase from 2023 and an 18% jump from 2019, according to the AAA.

That is due in large part to the growing popularity of cruising, as domestic and international cruise bookings are up 20% compared to last Thanksgiving.

Rail operator Amtrak said it carried more than 1 million customers from Nov. 18 to Nov. 26 in 2023 and is expecting more than that this year, a spokesperson said.

At their feet, construction machinery stirs up dust.

The eight-billion-euro ($8.5-billion) project financed by private funds is, according to its backers, a symbol of Greece’s renaissance after the years of financial stagnation that saw investors flee the country.

Critics, however, see it more as a future “ghetto for the rich”.

It is hard to imagine that 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Acropolis, a new city “three times the size of Monaco” will rise from the ground by 2036, according to Odisseas Athanasiou, chief executive of the group Lamda that owns the site.

GITEX GLOBAL: Dubai looks to join league of ‘smart cities’

One of Europe’s largest urban regeneration projects, the Ellinikon initiative features plans for villas, two hotels, shopping centres, a university, a marina and other buildings.

It will also feature the Riviera Tower, which would be Athens’s tallest skyscraper when it is completed at the end of 2026.

Around 30,000 people are expected to live on the 6.2-square-kilometre (2.4-square-mile) site on what for decades was Athens’s international airport.

A ‘smart city’

The former terminal, a listed building since the airport relocated in 2001, is to be converted into an exhibition hall.

During the 2004 Olympic Games, Ellinikon became a sports hub and hosted sports competitions including canoeing and hockey.

But the facilities were subsequently abandoned, and then came the financial crisis, which hit the Greeks hard.

Solidarity groups created a self-managed garden, a community grocery shop and a free medical centre at Ellinikon, to make up for the shortcomings of a virtually bankrupt state.

Refugees were also temporarily housed in the derelict stadiums during the migrant crisis of 2015.

Amid the wave of privatisations imposed by the country’s EU-IMF creditors, Athens was forced to sell Ellinikon.

Lamda, a holding company specialising in property development, investment and management, won the bid in 2014 for less than a billion euros.

The company is listed on the stock exchange and majority-owned by Greek tycoon Spiros Latsis.

Lamda CEO Athanasiou says the company is building “the largest coastal park in the world”, with a third of the surface area reserved for green areas accessible to all.

Ellinikon will be a “smart city” with advanced technological solutions, said other project managers who escorted an AFP team in a mini-bus through the huge construction site.

Greece’s ‘Instagram island’ Santorini nears saturation point

An ‘offshore colony’

“We’re building from scratch, which is a major advantage,” Athanasiou said in front of a huge model of the project.

“Cities like Singapore, Copenhagen and Amsterdam have done incredible things in terms of technology. But they have had to adapt what they have developed to an existing infrastructure,” he said.

In total, the park will have 8,000 to 9,000 homes.

The most luxurious apartments in the Riviera Tower can cost up to 25 million euros, Athanasiou said.

The least expensive will sell for around 400,000 euros, a price entirely unaffordable for many Athenians, critics say.

“This is not a real estate development project, it’s an ‘offshore’ colony,” said Nikos Belavilas, director of the urban environment laboratory at the National Technical University of Athens.

“We will have a gated community isolated from the city, with skyscrapers and casinos for the oil-rich,” he said, at a time when Athens is more in need of social or student housing.

The concrete-clad capital, with its jumbled streets that have grown out of control, is cruelly lacking in green areas.

Ellinikon, with its parks and beaches, represented “an opportunity to have a large urban green space”, Belavilas said.

‘Dire’

It could have become an Athenian Tempelhof, he said, referring to the former West Berlin airport which was transformed into a huge park open to all in the centre of the German capital, he said.

The Ellinikon project is “dire on several levels”, especially in terms of the “macro-economic management of the country”, one Athenian architect said on condition of anonymity.

Other Greeks complain that the state simply flogged off the site.

Athanasiou counters that when the privatisation took place “we were the only ones to respond to the call for tenders”.

He said the project would “strengthen the country’s credibility abroad, which was damaged during the years of crisis”.

Up to 80,000 jobs will be created and the Greek state will reap more than 14 billion euros in tax revenue once the project is completed, he said.

This year’s festival was bigger than ever, with over 500 exhibitors and creative leaders from more than 40 countries, embodying the UAE’s embrace of global talent and artistic exchange.

By bringing together diverse voices and aesthetics, Dubai Design Week plays a critical role in strengthening Dubai’s cultural identity within the Middle East.

One of the unique features of this week was its emphasis on multicultural representation. By hosting artists and designers from countries like Palestine, Iran, India, and the UAE, the event fostered a deeper appreciation for the region’s cultural diversity.

Dutch artist Linda Nieuwstad, known for her large-scale, vibrantly coloured flower sculptures, shared how she finds Dubai to be an inspiring backdrop for cultural exchange. “In a world of negativity, you have to use colours to bring out positives,” Nieuwstad said, emphasising the importance of cultural sharing and positivity through her work.

Welsh designer Ross Lovegrove, founder of the Lovegrove Foundation and a globally renowned figure in industrial design, highlighted the immersive, community-driven nature of the event.

“The best art galleries are not organic ones; it’s the experience enveloped in one’s cultural influences that makes it serene,” Lovegrove noted.

‘Milestone edition’: Dubai Design Week begins today

The variety of displays at Dubai Design Week also underscores this emphasis on cultural identity. Togo-born Dr. Gnanli Landrou, who showcased his innovative, sustainable concrete made from local materials, spoke about how his work is deeply inspired by his heritage.

“Being here in Dubai, a cultural hub, I can exchange ideas and even gain inspiration from others,” said Dr. Landrou. His participation reflects Dubai Design Week’s commitment to environmentally conscious design and represents a movement toward sustainable innovation in the region.

Dubai as a cultural leader

Dubai Design Week’s growth over the years has not only attracted global talent but also solidified the city’s reputation as a major business and creative hub. Key players in the design world, including Kartell and Cosentino, are showcasing their collections alongside local and emerging talents.

Dubai Design Week provides a valuable networking platform where designers can explore new markets and seek business collaborations across the GCC and beyond.

The event’s anchor, Downtown Design, is the region’s leading trade fair for contemporary design and has expanded its roster this year to include top-tier international brands and designers. With over 25 Italian architectural firms participating, Downtown Design highlights innovative products, contemporary furniture, and lighting trends, all tailored to an evolving and diverse consumer base.

This expanding participation also points to Dubai’s role in bringing together regional and global creative forces, a factor that plays a significant role in attracting investments and strengthening the local design economy.

‘Beacon of innovation’: Dubai Design Week brings together global creative community

In recent years, these initiatives have played a key role in helping Dubai Design Week grow into one of the most influential cultural events in the region, creating opportunities for regional creatives to showcase their work on an international platform.

A significant trend emerging from this year’s event is the representation of culturally driven designs that reflect Dubai’s multicultural society.

For instance, Editions, the Middle East’s first limited-edition art and design fair, allows attendees to access exclusive, high-quality pieces that carry unique regional influences.

Exhibitors from the Gulf region presented designs inspired by traditional architecture and local motifs, which have captured the interest of collectors and global audiences alike.

This theme of regional influence extends to the annual Urban Commissions competition, where Gulf designers present innovative solutions inspired by community-driven design. Omani studio Altqadum’s piece, TukTukDum Table, was particularly notable for its interactive design rooted in Gulf cultural practices.

This kind of representation adds a unique flavour to Dubai Design Week, showing its role in shaping and redefining Dubai’s cultural landscape in the design industry.

As Dubai Design Week continues to expand its scope, it signals a promising future for the city’s creative and economic growth. By bringing together talent from a broad spectrum of cultural backgrounds, the event fosters a spirit of collaboration and mutual respect among artists, designers, and businesses alike.

“Dubai is becoming a central location for events like this in the design industry,” said an attendee, Fatima Khalid, highlighting the city’s strategic role in the global creative economy.

Beyond the immediate impact on the art and design sector, Dubai Design Week is influencing a broader narrative.

The UAE’s focus on cultural representation and sustainability within design is positioning it as a forward-thinking destination for global talent, offering a unique blend of tradition and innovation.

Dubai has demonstrated a commitment to supporting artists from various backgrounds and driving creative industry growth within the Middle East.

The impact of Dubai Design Week will continue to resonate, both as a platform for cultural exchange and as a vital component in Dubai’s evolving role as a global centre for design and creativity.

The developer has been posting teasers of the upcoming airline on Instagram with information about destinations and a promotional offer to win a free trip.

The website describes the new airline as redefining luxury travel and offering “unparalleled journeys capturing the essence of the world’s most coveted tropical paradises.”

Dubai’s ‘super stable’ status ensures its real estate market keeps attracting Pakistanis

The website has also announced “handpicked” tropical locations.

“Experience the serenity of Bali, the azure waters of the Maldives, and the vibrant spirit of Hawaii. Our innovative concept invites you to explore six world-renowned tropical locales: Bali, Maldives, Hawaii, Seychelles, Fiji, and Bora Bora.”

Boeing, AirBus and ‘Beond’: Biggest edition of Dubai Airshow underway

DAMAC Air’s entry into the market will position it against competitors like Beond, Rotana Jet and others.

Beond – which brands itself as the world’s first premium leisure airline – launched its inaugural flight from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) to the Maldives in April 2024.

Last week, Dubai’s flagship carrier, The Emirates Group announced its best-ever half-year financial performance, posting a profit before tax of AED 10.4 billion (USD 2.8 billion) for the first six months of 2024-25, surpassing its record profit before tax for the same period last year.

Dubai’s travel capacity is also set to expand to The Al Maktoum International Airport slated to be the largest in the world with a capacity of up to 260 million passengers, and five times the size of Dubai International Airport (DXB).

Founded in Dubai in 1982, DAMAC Group boasts a diverse portfolio spanning luxury real estate developments, hospitality, data centres, retail, fashion, and capital markets.