Top 3 Headlines
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi named World’s Best Theme Park
Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi has been named the world’s best theme park at the 2026 Liseberg Applause Award, becoming the first attraction in the Middle East to receive the industry’s highest honour. Presented as part of the IAAPA Honours Event, the award recognises excellence in theme park management, operations and creative achievement.
Previous winners include Universal Studios Japan and Tokyo DisneySea. The park is also preparing to launch a new Harry Potter-themed land and two additional DC-themed rides as part of its next expansion phase.
Dubai strengthens business events push at IMEX 2026
Dubai Business Events (DBE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, led the city’s participation at IMEX Frankfurt 2026 alongside 20 partners from across Dubai’s hospitality, venue and events sectors.
The participation comes as Dubai continues to strengthen its position as a leading global MICE destination, ranking number one in the Middle East for association conferences hosted and topping Cvent’s Top 25 Meeting Destinations in the Middle East and Africa.
In 2025, DBE secured 504 successful event bids scheduled through to 2029, a 15% increase (YoY) and it’s expected to attract more than 272,000 delegates to Dubai. Major future wins include SIBOS 2029, SPE ATCE 2028 and the World Engineers Congress 2027, reinforcing Dubai’s growing role as a hub for international business events, knowledge exchange and industry collaboration.
Arabian Travel Market and ATM Travel Tech 2026 moved again
Despite being initially moved to August 2026 due to safety and stability concerns, event organisers have moved ATM again to 14-17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre. Existing exhibitor bookings, visitor registrations and participation plans remain valid.
We recently chatted to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, ME at ATM on the date changes. Catch up with what she said here: Adapting amid uncertainty, a page from the ATM 2026 playbook.
Noteworthy
- Imagine Dragons will headline the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix After-Race Concerts on Saturday, 5 December. They join Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larsson in the Yasalam line-up, with more artists still to be announced.
- Dubai is aiming to nearly double the sports sector’s contribution to its economy to AED18.3 billion ($5 billion) by 2033 under its new Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033. The strategy targets increasing the number of people participating in sport from 1.6 million to 2.6 million, while annual attendance at sporting events is expected to rise from 1.67 million to 4.1 million.
- The UAE is advancing biodiversity efforts, including progress on its 100 million mangrove planting target. New species discoveries have recently highlighted its ongoing conservation push.
- Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority has launched a campaign aimed at attracting GCC visitors, with events, hospitality offers and family experiences positioned to support Manama’s regional leisure demand.
- The Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series continues to place Oman on the international endurance-sport calendar, supporting Muscat and wider destination visibility among active and premium travellers.
- DCT Abu Dhabi and UFC have announced UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi for 25 July 2026 at Etihad Arena, strengthening Yas Island’s major-events pipeline and giving trade partners another sports-led short-break hook for the capital.
- Kuwait City recently hosted the China tourism showcase, a photography and travel event highlighting China’s culture and landscapes, held ahead of China Tourism Day.
