Abu Dhabi’s visitor economy is experiencing robust growth in 2025, fueled in part by a sharp increase in demand from Italian travelers and the success of Etihad Airways’ Stopover Programme. Between January and April 2025, the Stopover Programme attracted 44,000 visitors-a 76% jump from the 25,000 recorded during the same period in 2024, with Etihad projecting a total of over 130,000 stopover guests for the year.

This surge is part of a broader trend, as Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.4 million overnight guests in Q1 2025, reflecting sustained growth and positioning the emirate on track to meet its ambitious target of contributing AED 62 billion to the economy in 2025, a 13% rise over the previous year.

The Stopover Programme, a collaboration between Etihad Airways and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has not only increased visitor numbers but also extended the average length of stay, as travelers take advantage of complimentary hotel offers to explore the emirate’s expanding array of attractions.

Italian demand is particularly notable, with Etihad responding by expanding its flight offerings from Milan and Rome, and enhancing onboard services to cater to premium travelers. This momentum is reinforced by Abu Dhabi’s strategic investments in data-led marketing, diverse cultural programming, and innovative visitor experiences such as the new teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi in the Saadiyat Cultural District.

Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is underpinned by the ambitious Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually by the end of the decade, create 178,000 new jobs, and raise the sector’s GDP contribution to AED 90 billion.

The strategy is built around 26 key initiatives across four pillars: offering and city activation, promotion and marketing, infrastructure and mobility, and visa, licensing, and regulations. Recent performance metrics underscore the emirate’s progress: hotel revenues reached AED 2.3 billion in Q1 2025, up 18% year-on-year, with revenue per available room climbing 25% to AED 484 and occupancy rates holding strong at 79%.

Officials highlight that the Stopover Programme’s appeal is leading many travelers to extend their stays or return for dedicated holidays, with the initiative drawing visitors from across Etihad’s global network, including the US, UK, Germany, France, India, Japan, and South Korea. The introduction of the digital Abu Dhabi Pass in March 2025 has further enhanced the visitor experience, offering discounts and streamlined access to attractions.

In summary, the surge in Italian demand is a key driver in Abu Dhabi’s accelerating visitor economy, supporting the emirate’s broader goals of economic diversification, cultural prominence, and global tourism leadership.

Air Arabia, a leading low-cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, will inaugurate daily direct flights connecting Sharjah International Airport and Krabi International Airport in Thailand, effective November 28, 2025. This expansion introduces Krabi as the airline's third destination in Thailand, complementing existing routes to Bangkok and Phuket.

Flight Schedule Overview

The daily service provides travelers with both morning and evening departure options, utilizing Air Arabia's modern Airbus A320 aircraft.

Ethiopian Airlines has taken a significant leap in modernizing its fleet by selecting GE Aerospace’s GEnx-1B engines to power its latest order of 11 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, ordered in December 2023. This move will expand the airline’s GEnx-powered 787 fleet from 19 to 30 aircraft, reinforcing its position as a leader in adopting cutting-edge aviation technology.

In addition to this, Ethiopian has reaffirmed its previous agreement with GE Aerospace for GE9X engines to power up to 14 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, including eight firm orders and options for six more. The GE9X is the exclusive engine option for the new 777X family, underscoring Ethiopian’s commitment to operating the latest and most efficient widebody jets.

“These agreements for GE9X and GEnx engines reflect our commitment to fleet modernization, operational efficiency, and sustainability,” said Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew. He emphasized that the partnership with GE Aerospace has been instrumental in delivering world-class service as Africa’s leading airline and in connecting the continent to the world.

Both engine deals include comprehensive maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) support, ensuring long-term reliability and operational excellence. Ethiopian’s MRO capabilities, already advanced in servicing GEnx-1B engines, will further benefit from this partnership, supporting the airline’s growth and sustainability goals.

With these strategic agreements, Ethiopian Airlines is strengthening its fleet with state-of-the-art propulsion technology, enhancing fuel efficiency, reducing emissions, and maintaining its status as a pioneer in African aviation.

India’s largest low-cost carrier, IndiGo Airlines, is turbocharging its Gulf presence with the launch of three new direct international routes to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, starting mid-June 2025. This bold expansion links Kochi and Hyderabad to Bahrain and opens a new Chennai–Muscat connection, reinforcing IndiGo’s strategy to connect more Indian cities with key West Asian destinations.

Bahrain Emerges as a Key Hub

Bahrain stands out as the biggest winner in this latest network boost. IndiGo will inaugurate daily non-stop flights between Kochi and Bahrain from June 15, 2025, significantly improving air access between Kerala’s bustling coastal city and the Gulf kingdom. The service, operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, departs Kochi at 7:30 pm IST and lands in Bahrain at 9:20 pm local time, with the return leg leaving Bahrain at 10:20 pm and reaching Kochi at 5:30 am IST the next morning.

Hyderabad joins the Bahrain-bound expansion with four weekly flights, also starting June 15. The outbound journey departs at 5:10 pm IST, arriving in Bahrain at 7:10 pm local time, while the return leaves Bahrain at 8:10 pm and lands in Hyderabad at 3:10 am IST. This marks Bahrain as the 12th GCC destination in IndiGo’s growing Middle East network.

Chennai–Muscat: Strengthening Southern Links

From June 16, Chennai will gain a direct connection to Muscat, Oman’s capital, with flights operating three times a week. This route, also flown by Airbus A320s, departs Chennai at 11:45 pm IST and arrives in Muscat at 2:35 am local time, returning in the afternoon for an early evening arrival in Chennai. The corridor is vital for blue-collar workers and business travelers, promising more competition, better fares, and greater frequency for the India–Oman sector.

A Strategic Push into the Gulf

These new routes are part of IndiGo’s broader play to deepen its footprint across the Gulf, a region crucial for business, tourism, and especially labor migration. The airline’s focus on connecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 Indian cities to international destinations reflects a strategy to decentralize international traffic from major metros and tap into the surging demand from India’s diaspora and migrant workforce.

IndiGo’s latest expansion follows recent launches to Abu Dhabi from Madurai, Bhubaneswar, and Visakhapatnam, and comes amid intensifying competition on India–Gulf routes, with rivals like Air India Express also ramping up their networks.

Conclusion

IndiGo’s new direct flights to Bahrain and Muscat not only cement its dominance in the India–Gulf market but also promise to boost tourism, trade, and people-to-people ties between India and the GCC. With the Gulf region at the heart of its international ambitions, IndiGo is set to soar even higher as a formidable force in pan-Asian and Middle Eastern aviation.

A suspected member of a global in-flight theft syndicate was arrested in New Delhi after allegedly stealing debit and credit cards from fellow passengers during an Air India flight from Hong Kong, police revealed Saturday.

The accused, 30-year-old Benlai Pan, was apprehended by authorities at Indira Gandhi International Airport on May 14, following a string of theft complaints from passengers aboard Air India flight AI-315. Pan was traveling with three associates-Meng Guangyang (51), Chang Mang (42), and Liu Jie (45)-all Chinese nationals, who were detained and questioned by officials.

The group is believed to be part of an organized international racket that targets unsuspecting travelers on long-haul flights. According to police, the syndicate’s modus operandi involved spreading members across the cabin to avoid suspicion, targeting sleeping passengers, and rummaging through overhead bins and unattended bags to steal high-value items and payment cards.

The operation unraveled when Air India’s security team alerted airport police about suspicious activity involving the group. Passenger Prabhat Verma, seated at 12C, reported his credit card missing after cabin crew warned him about unusual movements around his baggage. The missing card was later discovered under seat 14C-occupied by Pan, who was not assigned to that seat.

Another passenger, Prashi, reported her mother’s debit card missing. Meanwhile, a third traveler, Nafeez Fatima, provided video evidence allegedly showing Pan opening overhead bins and inspecting cabin baggage during the flight.

During interrogation, Pan reportedly confessed to being part of a syndicate that deliberately books international transit flights to exploit sleeping passengers and cabin vulnerabilities. The group would discard stolen cards after attempting misuse to evade detection, and their travel records are now under scrutiny as authorities investigate links to other unresolved cases.

Police have ramped up airport security nationwide and are coordinating with international agencies to probe the syndicate’s global footprint, as the investigation continues into the full extent of the gang’s operations.

Etihad Airways has inked a major $14.5 billion deal to acquire 28 widebody Boeing aircraft, including the next-generation 777X and 787 models, marking a significant boost to its long-haul fleet capabilities. Announced during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the UAE, this deal forms part of over $200 billion in broader U.S.-UAE trade agreements, underscoring a deepening commercial aviation partnership between the two nations.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier plans to integrate these GE engine-powered jets into its fleet starting from 2028, aligning with its strategic Journey 2030 initiative aimed at doubling fleet size and expanding connectivity, operational efficiency, and guest experience. CEO Antonoaldo Neves emphasized the airline’s careful fleet management approach, highlighting consistent growth since 2023 and the importance of this acquisition in meeting future demand.

This purchase follows closely on the heels of Qatar Airways’ historic Boeing widebody order, further cementing Boeing’s strong presence in the Gulf aviation market amid ongoing trade talks and regional economic diversification efforts. Etihad’s renewed focus on sustainable growth contrasts with its troubled expansion in the 2010s, as the airline now pursues a financially self-sustainable path supported by a robust fleet modernization plan through 2035.

The Boeing 777X’s fuel efficiency and advanced technology will enhance Etihad’s long-haul operations, enabling the airline to maintain competitive service standards while supporting thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs, particularly in Boeing’s South Carolina and Washington plants. This landmark deal represents a strategic win for both Etihad Airways and the U.S. aerospace industry, reinforcing aviation as a key driver of economic growth and international connectivity for the UAE.