Tourism Partnerships: WTM Spotlight Riyadh named Saudi Ministry of Tourism as its strategic partner for the inaugural event (8–10 Sept 2026) at RFECC, aiming to connect global travel leaders with Saudi Vision 2030’s tourism push. Aviation & Routes: Riyadh Air launched direct flights between Riyadh and Bangkok with three weekly services, ramping to daily from 9 Nov, while Lufthansa resumes Riyadh flights from 10 Sept but keeps Dubai and Abu Dhabi services suspended until 24 Oct. New Hospitality Openings: Equinox Resort AMAALA opened on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, bringing a performance-focused wellness concept with 128 rooms and a large training and spa offering. Stargazing Luxury: Two Red Sea resorts—Desert Rock and Nujuma (Ritz-Carlton Reserve)—became the world’s first DarkSky Approved Resorts, targeting reduced light pollution for better night-sky experiences. Travel Tech & Funding: FlyAkeed secured SAR 94.3m ($25.15m) to scale its corporate travel platform, including deferred-payment options for large enterprises. Airport Standards: Cluster2 Airports received 36 ACI accreditations and three global awards, including accessibility and customer experience recognition. Connectivity Planning: Qiddiya City partnered with Google Transit to add real-time journey planning for buses, Riyadh Metro links, and key attractions.