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Read the latest news from around the Middle East and Africa region.
Saudi Arabia Plans Hospitality School in Riyadh
The latest step for Saudi Arabia's massive investment in growing tourism will be the launch of a billion-dollar tourism school slated to open in 2027 in the country's capital, Riyadh, Hotelier Middle East reports.
During a speech during World Tourism Day, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the school plans to be among the global elite in the field.
“This school is a gift from Saudi Arabia to the world because it will be open to everyone to enjoy the best training in the field of tourism and hospitality,” he said.
Israel Joins US Visa Waiver Program
The Times of Israel reports Israel's inclusion in the U.S. Via Waiver Program is a major step for relations between the two countries and will likely be a boost for tourism.
"After long being forced to wait many months to apply for and secure a visa, Israelis will, going forward, only be required to fill out an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form several days before embarking on a tourism or business trip to the U.S. that is up to 90 days in length," the news outlet reports.
Jumeirah Looks To Lure Indian Travelers to Middle East
Officials with Dubai-based Jumeirah Group see India as a major growth driver and feeder market for it's properties in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland and could potentially look to expand within India, ZeeBusiness reports.
"India is a very important market to the Jumeirah brands, our hotels and resorts brand has always been very popular with the Indian market...The Indian market sits as a top 10 market in almost all of our hotels," Group Chief Commercial Officer Alexander Lee said.
Turkey Grapples With High Inflation but Some Signs Show Cooling
While inflation figures remain significantly elevated at 61.53% for September, Turkey's consumer price inflation cooled somewhat from month to month, rising just 4.75%, Reuters reports.
"Inflation soared above 85% last year after an aggressive rate-cutting cycle sparked a historic currency crash in late 2021," the news outlet reports. "But after winning May elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reversed course and named a new economic team to embrace more orthodox policies including aggressive monetary tightening."
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