Business

The value added by the travel and tourism sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries reached $247.1 billion in 2024, up 31.9 per cent from 2019, according to the GCC Statistical Centre.

The number of commercial licences in tourism, hospitality, aviation, air transport, aviation technologies and digital tourism in the UAE reached 39,546 by mid-September 2025, a 275 per cent increase compared to mid-September 2020, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council.

K2, an Abu Dhabi company specialising in advanced autonomous systems and AI-driven technologies, has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Pahang Aerospace City (PAC) and the University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) to cooperate on the development of next-generation autonomous platforms.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday declaring that his plan to sell Chinese-owned TikTok's US operations to American and global investors will address the national security requirements in a 2024 law.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited American companies to invest in the country during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House that also focused on how to end to the war in Gaza, his office said on Friday.

President Donald Trump unleashed a fresh round of punishing tariffs on a broad range of imported goods on Thursday, saying the US will impose 100 per cent duties on branded drugs and 25 per cent tariffs on heavy-duty trucks, among other import tariffs, starting next week.

Dubai has officially been ranked among the top four cities worldwide for FinTech, according to the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI).

In a major move to stabilize the rental market, Saudi Arabia has announced a five-year freeze on rent increases for residential and commercial properties in Riyadh.

Dubai is taking another major step toward smarter, more sustainable transport.

DP World has welcomed the world’s largest and most eco-friendly car carrier, MV Höegh Sunrise, to Jebel Ali Port for the first time.

The UAE and US have explored ways to enhance strategic partnership in key sectors like technology and sustainability, during roundtable meetings held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Wednesday it would resume direct flights next month on its most profitable route to Britain, putting an end to a five-year ban before the planned privatisation of the national carrier this year.

Britain's biggest carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is extending the closure of its factories until October 1 following a cyberattack in early September that has left its operations paralysed and smaller suppliers struggling.

Dubai has once again topped global rankings for attracting greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public address on Sunday asked citizens to stop using foreign-made products and instead use local ones, pushing for a self-reliant campaign when trade ties with the United States have soured.

The Ministry of Finance has signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Automatic Exchange of Information under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), following its announcement last November of its intention to implement the framework.

The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay $100,000 per year for H-1B worker visas, potentially dealing a big blow to the technology sector that relies heavily on skilled workers from India and China.

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will seek an agreement on Friday to help keep the video app TikTok online in the US and ease tensions between two superpowers locked in a standoff over trade.

The UAE–India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has reached $37.6 billion in the first half of 2025, underscoring it is on track to achieve the shared goal of touching US$100 billion by 2030.

UAE national carrier, Etihad Airways, has announced it will start operations to Damascus in Syria from June, 2026.

There is no immediate plan to shut down Carrefour in the UAE, Majid Al Futtaim's CEO of Retail, Dr. Günther Helm, confirmed days after they shuttered operations in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Meta Platforms launched its first consumer-ready smart glasses with a built-in display on Wednesday, seeking to extend the momentum of its Ray-Ban line, one of the early consumer hits of the artificial intelligence era.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact late on Wednesday, significantly strengthening a decades-old security partnership.

Dubai has cemented its position as a top maritime hub, earning the title 'Crown Jewel of the Middle East’s Maritime Sector' in the 2025 International Shipping Centre Development Index.

The UAE has joined thirteen other countries in a joint declaration to establish an international alliance to promote open and fair trade.

Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield, whose name helped shape the popular ice cream brand, has quit the company, as its rift with parent Unilever deepened over its stance on the Gaza conflict.

The United States and Britain have agreed on a technology pact to boost ties in AI, quantum computing and civil nuclear energy, with top US firms led by Microsoft pledging £31 billion ($42 billion) in UK investments.

Emirates has opened a state-of-the-art flight crew training centre in Dubai, as part of the airline’s strategy to support its expanding fleet and prepare for the future of aviation.

Google said on Tuesday it would make £5 billion ($6.80 billion) in new investments into Britain ahead of US President Donald Trump's state visit to the country, which is expected to feature a flurry of business deals and partnerships.

US and Chinese officials said they have reached a framework agreement to switch short-video app TikTok to US-controlled ownership that will be confirmed in a Friday call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

UAE-based Dragon Oil, owned by the Emirates National Oil Company, has signed an agreement worth $30 million with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation to drill two new oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Suez. 

Dubai International Chamber has said that 58 per cent of the multinational companies (MNCs) it attracted to the city during H1 2025 came from Asia.

US President Donald Trump issued a letter to NATO nations on Saturday, urging them to stop buying Russian oil and impose major sanctions on Russia to end its war in Ukraine.

Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), stated that artificial intelligence (AI) has now acquired the ability to produce narrative storytelling and visual content that almost mimics humans, revealing a new type of hybrid discourse between humans and machines.

Creators HQ, the UAE’s first content creator hub, has teamed up with YouTube to launch the first-ever YouTube Academy in the Middle East and North Africa.

Oracle shares retreated on Thursday after a record AI-driven surge in the previous session that put the company closer to the trillion-dollar mark and co-founder Larry Ellison within striking distance of the world's richest person title.

US President Donald Trump offered to allow hundreds of South Korean workers arrested during an immigration enforcement raid to stay back to train American workers, but only one has opted to remain, South Korean officials said.

Ras Al Khaimah has taken a bold step into the future of mobility with the successful trial flight of an electric flying vehicle.

Apple CEO Tim Cook seemed to be channeling predecessor and design genius Steve Jobs on Tuesday when he unveiled the iPhone Air, the company's slimmest handset yet and the biggest change in eight years to a lineup fans and analysts saw as stagnating.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration is continuing negotiations to address trade barriers with India and that he would talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising hopes of a deal after weeks of discord.

Apple on Tuesday showed off a new, slimmer iPhone Air model with a high density battery and a brand new processor, as well as an iPhone 17, the latest upgrade to its flagship smartphone.

The UAE's hotel sector continues its steady growth, with revenues surpassing AED 26 billion in the first half of 2025, marking a 6.3 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Apple on Tuesday is expected to unveil a new lineup of iPhones, including a thinner "Air" model that could be a precursor to a folding phone next year.

His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has taken part in the BRICS Leaders Virtual Summit, hosted by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, attended the opening of the 28th Universal Postal Congress, which is being held in Dubai under the theme 'Leading Change, Creating the Future'.

Eight OPEC+ members agreed to raise oil production by 137,000 bpd in October, the group said in a statement on Sunday.

Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, chaired the first meeting of the UAE Logistics Integration Council, stating it aims to increase the logistics sector’s contribution to the national economy from approximately AED136.7 billion in 2024 to over AED200 billion within seven years.

The UAE's real GDP grew by 3.9 per cent, reaching AED 455 billion during the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

Dubai Chambers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Australia to enhance cooperation in attracting Australian companies to Dubai and supporting the expansion of Dubai Chamber of Commerce members into Victoria.

Expo 2020 Dubai has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Expo 2020 Dubai and the United Nations Global Compact are joining forces to hold a Sustainable Development Goals Business Forum.

More than 2,500 online travel agents, tour operators, hotel groups and airlines have signed on as Authorised Ticket Resellers (ATRs) for Expo 2020 Dubai.

A spectacular line-up of sights, sounds and tastes await visitors at Expo 2020 Dubai, through a series of specially curated itineraries.

Apple on Tuesday launched the iPhone 12 with faster 5G connectivity, which the company hopes will spur a wave of upgrades and keep its sales booming through the end of the year.