Research conducted by Oxford Economics predicts that outbound travel from China will nearly double this year, compared to 2023, and will only be 22% below its pre-pandemic peak of 155 million tourists in 2019.

These tourists spent over $250 billion overseas. Full recovery of Chinese tourism is expected to happen in 2025, with the MENA being the first region globally to recover its Chinese inbound market.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, which will be held from 6-9 May at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), is expected to welcome twice the number of Chinese exhibitors and travel professionals compared to its 2019 show, underscoring the prediction of the MENA becoming the first region to recover its Chinese inbound market.

China lifted its COVID-related travel restrictions on January 8, 2023, allowing Chinese tourists to travel abroad without having to quarantine upon their return.

Bookings for overseas travel during the Chinese New Year reportedly soared by 540% compared to the same period in 2022, according to data from the Chinese travel site Trip.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, commented, “Last year, some analysts were predicting that the Chinese outbound market would recover to around six million per month by the summer of 2023, driven in part by the pent-up demand especially from young, affluent Chinese.

However, that rebound wasn’t as great as many tourism professionals had hoped for, and now analysts are confident that this year we could see Chinese visitor numbers double year-on-year, with major destinations in the Middle East recovering quicker than any other internationally, especially for luxury travel.”

Curtis added, “That sentiment has also been borne out by the latest spending data for the 2024 Chinese New Year. According to Chinese payment platform Alipay, the number of Chinese overseas transactions was 7% higher than those recorded in 2019.

The most popular MENA destinations include Dubai, Saudi’s AlUla, Egypt, and Jordan – Dubai alone welcomed more than one million Chinese visitors in 2019.”

Chinese participation at ATM 2024 is expected to more than double compared to ATM 2019, with new exhibitors that include private sector companies such as Heytrip International, Jiangsu Intelligence Equipment Co, Flightroutes24 Travel Company Ltd, Feeyo Technology, and anticipated destination representation from Macao Government Tourism Office, China Cultural Centre in the UAE, and the Hongkong Tourism Board.

ATM is also organising a dedicated conference session on this key market in its Global Stage, entitled ‘Capitalising on China’s Predicted Tourism Surge’, in association with Huawei.

This session, which takes place on Monday 6th May from 15:10 to 15:50, will explore the changing trends, cultural preferences, and the role of mobile marketing and tourism predictions in the Chinese tourism market.

In line with this year’s show theme ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, other highlights at the 31st edition of ATM include entrepreneurship-focused sessions as well as dedicated sessions for other key source markets such as India and the Americas.

As well as showcasing a range of event features based around the theme, informative content will be delivered across the Global Stage and the new Future Stage at ATM 2024, led by respected industry keynote speakers and thought leaders.

Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners include the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.

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According to the IBM Global AI Adoption Index 2023, 42 percent of businesses in the UAE have already incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day operations.

This indicates the country’s continuous efforts towards technological advancement and digital transformation.

IBM conducted two studies that revealed the growing acceptance of AI in business operations and the retail sector, not only in the UAE but also in the wider Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

The first study, the 2023 Global AI Adoption Index by Morning Consult, provides insights from companies in the UAE. The second study, ‘Revolutionize retail with AI everywhere: Customers won’t wait’, focuses on the retail sector.

These studies demonstrate the transformative effect of AI on reshaping business strategies, enhancing operational efficiency, and revolutionizing the retail landscape to meet evolving consumer expectations.

The IBM Global AI Adoption Index 2023 surveyed over 8,500 IT professionals, including some from the UAE. The study shows a rapid adoption and integration of AI into different business sectors, with 65 percent of IT professionals in the UAE reporting an increase in AI adoption over the past two years.

This has resulted in reshaping the way businesses operate, and increased efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness in the UAE market.

With 42 percent of companies already using Artificial intelligence, the UAE is emerging as a frontrunner in technological advancement in the region.

The study also reveals that 34 percent of companies in the UAE have a comprehensive AI strategy, while an additional 30 percent are in the process of developing one.

The reasons for Artificial intelligence adoption in the UAE include the increasing integration of AI in standard business applications, cost reduction, and automation of essential processes.

In addition to the UAE findings, IBM’s retail and AI research highlights consumer preferences and demands in the MEA region. Despite a preference for physical stores, only three percent of MEA consumers are satisfied with the in-store experience.

However, 75 percent of MEA consumers are supplementing their in-store experiences with mobile applications, indicating a shift towards a digitally integrated shopping experience.

It has immense potential to enhance the shopping journey, with nine out of every ten consumers expressing interest in AI applications for shopping.

Meanwhile, 75 percent of MEA respondents are eager for AI applications, and 67 percent for Artificial intelligence enhancements like virtual assistants.

IBM:

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According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Wadi Rum received a total of 18,359 visitors in the first two months of the year, with the majority being non-Arabs.

In January, 6,814 visitors were recorded, which increased to 11,545 in February.

Out of the total number of visitors, 14,200 were non-Arab tourists, 187 were Arab visitors, and 3,972 were Jordanian visitors.

The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) reported an 8.9% increase in tourism revenues in February 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, amounting to JD389.7 million.

In January and February, tourism revenues grew by 4.5%, totaling JD782.6 million. The CBJ also stated that tourism revenues surpassed projections for the first three quarters of 2023, showing a 27.4% increase and setting a “historical” precedent at JD5.2 billion.

Bookings were canceled in the last quarter of the previous year by at least 65%, largely due to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

The Prime Minister, Bisher Khasawneh, had previously made statements regarding this matter.

The government is committed to establishing the Kingdom as a leading tourism and film production hub.

To achieve this, they implemented 260 promotional campaigns in 53 countries last year, resulting in 9.2 million passengers passing through Queen Alia International Airport, marking a 17% increase.

A total of 6.3 million visitors went to the Aqaba and Petra regions, and one million electronic visas were issued.

Additionally, 292 buses were added to the tourist transport fleet.

The Ministry of Tourism also promoted low-cost carriers through partnerships with five new charter and scheduled airlines, leading to an increase of 141% in passengers, carrying a total of 446,000 passengers.

The government inaugurated the development of archaeological sites and the launch of new tourism experiences such as the Ajloun Cable Car, which attracted 268,000 visitors, and the Um Qais Water Tunnel.

Other attractions include diving in Aqaba, the Petra Hot Air Balloon, the Christian Pilgrimage Trail in Mukawer, the restoration of six major tourist and archaeological spots, and the inauguration of film studios.

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The Ministry of Water and Irrigation has signed an agreement for the Deir Alla and Karameh water networks rehabilitation project in Balqa. 

The sixth phase of this project aims to drill 16 wells in the Abu Zyghan area, with a value of 97.24 million euros. 

The funding for this project comes from a loan provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) as well as self-finance, while the studies, design, and supervision aspects were secured through a grant from USAID. 

The project’s goal is to improve the water supply across 17 areas in Deir Alla and Karameh districts through seven different packages. 

By adopting natural flow pumping techniques, the scheme aims to extend the operational longevity of water networks, enhance service efficiency, and promote equitable water distribution. 

Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abul Saud emphasized the ministry’s dedication to speeding up the deployment of these new networks to deal with the increasing pressures of demand. 

He also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to addressing the challenges posed by surging water demand across the Kingdom. 

The drilling of the 16 wells in Abu Zayghan, costing $13.550 million, includes an exploratory well designed to bolster water availability in Deir Alla and Karameh. 

Expressing gratitude for the international support received, the minister referred to the role of the European Union, particularly the EIB and USAID, in facilitating the financial funds necessary to implement projects to face challenges of the water sector in light of increasing demand. 

Read More on Water Projects.

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A new report by consulting firm Oliver Wyman reveals that the commercial aviation fleet is expected to grow by 28% in the next decade, from 28,400 to 36,400 aircraft by 2034.

The Middle East region will see an even more significant increase of 51% from 1,472 to 2,227 planes.

However, COVID-19 has had a lasting impact on the industry, wiping out six years of growth, and the fleet is expected to reach 39,000 planes by 2036.

According to Anthony DiNota, Vice President of Oliver Wyman’s CAVOK, the industry is finally out of recovery mode and on a growth trajectory.

The report also suggests that the Middle East will gain a larger share of the global fleet, due to factors such as its central location, strong established players in the market, and the addition of new players.

The region’s economic diversification plans will also play a significant role in fueling the growth of the aviation industry.

The report further predicts that the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector will grow by almost 3% in 2024, reaching $104 billion.

It is expected to expand by an average of 1.8% annually The forecast has revealed some key findings regarding the aviation industry worldwide.

Firstly, the industry has now matched its pre-COVID peak globally, but growth moving forward will be slower.

The fleet is expected to expand at a rate of 2.5% annually, compared to the 2.9% projected in the previous forecast.

Narrowbodies will see a steady increase in their share of the fleet, rising from 61% in 2024 to 63% in 2034. The growth is driven by the resurgence of domestic air travel worldwide, which is projected to surpass the pre-COVID peak.

Secondly, the Middle East fleet is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.2% from 2024 to 2034, outstripping growth rates in most parts of the world, including Africa (2.3%), Latin America (1.9%), North America (1.8%), and Western Europe (1.0%). Narrowbodies will be the primary driver of this growth.

In this region, narrowbodies will climb from 40% to 47% of the fleet over the decade, while widebodies will decrease from 56% to 50%.

Thirdly, India will overtake China as the industry’s growth leader for the first time ever, with the Indian fleet expected to expand almost 13% over the first five years of the forecast period and nearly 10% for the entire 10 years. Currently at about 600 planes, the Indian fleet will be 2.5 times the size it is today by 2034.

Lastly, the aviation’s global aftermarket, known as MRO, keeps aircraft flying. The overall MRO market in the Middle East is expected to grow at an annual rate of 2.3% (vs. 1.8% globally) from 2023 to 2034 and will be driven by local capabilities development to capture value leakage. It is slated to be worth nearly $16 billion by 2034 (vs. $124 billion globally).ion globally).

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Orange Jordan has been awarded the Fastest Fixed Internet Fiber Speed in Jordan for 2023 by SpeedChecker for the second year in a row.

The studies and speed tests conducted for this award covered internet subscribers in Jordan and showed that Orange Jordan offers the fastest internet in the country.

SpeedChecker has been operating in the Middle East since 2008.

It provides smart websites and applications that enable clients to check the quality of their internet connection, contributing to the improvement of many internet and mobile service providers.

The company is headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United Arab Emirates.

The award was presented to Naila Al Dawoud, the Chief Consumer Marketing Officer, and Eng, Walid Al-Doulat, the Chief ITN & Wholesale Officer, on behalf of Orange Jordan, in the presence of several company employees.

This milestone aligns with Orange Jordan’s efforts to invest in digital infrastructure and fiber services, as well as providing customers with the latest technologies such as Fiber Box devices with Wi-Fi 6 technology.

This new technology allows subscribers to enjoy faster speeds and increase the number of devices connected to Wi-Fi with lower latency.

In addition, the company has launched a new super speed of 10,000 Mbps for the first time in Jordan and the region.

About Orange Jordan.

In today’s digital age, speed enriches the user experience. Orange Jordan believes that receiving this award for the second consecutive year, after conducting detailed speed tests involving tens of thousands of internet subscribers throughout 2023, is the culmination of its role as a Responsible Digital Leader.

The company provides a digital experience for all its subscribers, both individuals and businesses, enabling them to have a variety of features and services, including online learning, entertainment, gaming, and watching online videos.

It’s worth mentioning that Orange Jordan currently has the largest fiber market share in Jordan, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC).

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The All-New Ford Territory Dark Edition has recently been launched, bringing a fresh new design to one of the most popular crossover SUVs in the region.

The Dark Edition builds on the success of the All-New Territory, with a distinct visual upgrade that includes a modern design, spacious interiors, and improved safety features.

The new Ford Territory Dark Edition comes in the colors, white, gray, and black.

The SUV features full LED lighting emphasized by a wide shoulder line.

In the Middle East, the All-New Territory offers four driving modes – Eco, Normal, Sport, and Mountain – which allow customers to customize their driving experience based on the terrain and driving conditions they encounter.

Ford Territory Dark edition also includes additional safety and comfort technologies, equipped with Ford’s co-pilot systems and additional features such as:

• BLIS with Cross-Traffic Alert is a feature that enhances blind spot monitoring, providing an additional set of eyes during lane changes.
• The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop-and-Go Feature maintains a set distance from the vehicle ahead, even stopping if necessary.
• The Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is a safety feature that detects potential collisions and activates emergency braking if the driver’s response is insufficient.

Ford Territory Dark Edition interior quality of life additions:

The Territory SUV is packed with premium features such as wireless charging, USB type-C and type-A charging,

wireless smartphone connectivity, advanced audio entertainment systems with up to eight speakers, steering wheel audio controls, smart keyless entry with Power Push Start, and a Hands-free Power Liftgate.

These features make the SUV a seamless part of daily life while adding a touch of enjoyment to every journey.

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The World Bank is currently contemplating the possibility of providing support and financing to a Jordanian program valued at $321 million according to Al-Mamlaka.

The program aims to enhance individual-centric digital governance and aid the roadmap for public sector modernization and digital transformation in Jordan, which is a fundamental pillar of the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV).

The program is expected to be presented to the World Bank in the upcoming months to be reviewed by its board of directors.

The total government funding is aimed to be more than USD545 million while focusing more on areas such as health and education.

The program also encourages transparency and government efficiency through digitalization.

Jordan aims to implement this program within 4 years, it will focus on increasing the usage of digital identity systems that focus on individuals.

The program also facilitates data sharing between government agencies and the private sector, building a digital infrastructure and aiming to increase ease of use.

The Economic Modernization Vision (EMV) aims to double the annual growth rate of the Jordan to 5.6% over the next decade.

The strategy aims to make governmental services fully digitalized by the year 2025, this includes initiatives such as:

• Digital identity.
• E-Payments.
• Open government data.
• Resource management.

Over 800,000 users have activated their digital identities by the start of February 2024, the Jordanian government aims to increase the userbase to 3.5 million by the start of 2025, facilitated through user activation at banks, government service centers and companies.

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The Iraqi Ministry Of Construction, Housing and Public Municipalities identified 4 water projects that were completed before the end of 2024.

The projects are:

Al-Kut Grand Water Project: The project comes at a cost of 102 billion Iraqi dinars, it provides 300,000 residents of Al-kut and other regions in the governorate with a production capacity of 10,00 m3/hour of drinkable water.

Diyala Water Project: Located in Salah Al-Din Governorate.

Al-Salam Water Project: Located in Mansouria.

Al-Sarajqa Water Project: Located in Mansouria.

The Director of the Water Directorate in the ministry Ammar, Adel Al-Maliki said that the directorate had listed these several projects under a program launched by the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani.

Aiming to complete the delayed or stalled projects, the plan for 2024 includes the completion of six projects with four already in the final stages, he added.

Project announced by the Ministry:

Al-Amara Grand Water Project: Located in the Maysan Governorate with a capacity of 16,000 cubic meters per hour.

Central Zuhour Water Project: Located in the North of Baghdad Governorate with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per hour.

Central Nahrawan Water Project: Located in Baghdad, the Capital.

Qayyarah-Shura-Tal Abta Water Project: Located in Nineveh Governorate.

Nabil Saffar, a spokesman for the Construction and Housing Ministry said:

“We have identified nearly 100 projects involving water and sewage networks, we aim to launch these projects in 2024”

Saffar said other projects would be launched this year and some projects would also be included in the three-year budget, adding: “We aim for 2024 to be a year of accomplishments.

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Orfali Bros has taken the number one spot for the best restaurant in the Middle East for the second year in a row, it has also received the ranking of 46^th for the best restaurant globally.

Furthermore the restaurant has also received the What’s-On award of Homegrown Restaurant of The Year in 2022.

Located in Jumeirah 1, Dubai, which is a popular seaside location with a variety of options.

Dubai dominates the top 5 restaurants in the Middle East rankings, a ranking system made by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.

The restaurant was opened by 3 brothers who originated from Aleppo, Syria, Mohammad, Wassim and Omar.

The Restaurant was opened in 2021.

The oldest brother, Mohammad is the head chef, who was also a TV cook and restaurant chef.

The two younger brothers Wassim and Omar focus more on pastries, specifically French ones.

The restaurant mixes traditional Syrian food with global flavors to create new outcomes.

Orfali Bros Service:

Orfali Bros serves Lunch and Dinner from Monday to Sunday from 12-11:30 PM, with Saturdays being off.

The expected cost per person up to USD50 with the cheapest item on their menu being OB croquettes priced at USD5.72.

They offer a variety of menu items including for one, cold, hot, pide and deserts.

The cheapest Hot item on the menu is Adobo chicken wings priced at USD9.

The most expensive hot item is Halloub, which are braised short ribs, the dish is priced at USD36.7.

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