On July 26, 2025, Maldives marked its 60th Independence Day with a landmark event: the grand opening of the long-awaited new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport (MLE). President Mohamed Muizzu hailed the $585 million facility as “a pillar of economic independence,” spotlighting the terminal’s pivotal role in transforming the island nation’s tourism-driven economy.

Spanning 72,000 square meters and designed to accommodate 7.5 million passengers annually—more than triple the previous capacity—the terminal is the largest building ever constructed in the Maldives. It features 47 check-in counters, six self-service kiosks, 20 immigration counters, six boarding gates, and 12 aerobridges, along with state-of-the-art baggage handling and real-time tracking systems. The design elegantly blends modern architecture with Maldivian motifs, reflecting the natural beauty and culture of the islands.

Tourism accounts for roughly 21% of the Maldives’ GDP, and this expansion aims to eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks that previously restrained growth. According to the World Bank’s April 2025 report, the facility could bolster average economic growth by 5.2% in the medium term, while the International Monetary Fund expects the expanded terminal to sustain tourism momentum crucial to the country’s prosperity.

The project has a complex political and financial history. Originally initiated with India’s GMR Group in 2010, the contract was canceled in 2012 amid political shifts, leading to alternate funding from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and OPEC development funds alongside national budget contributions. These delays and shifting partnerships have significantly increased Maldives’ foreign debt, which now exceeds $8 billion.

Recent years saw diplomatic strains with India, including a 2024 “Boycott Maldives” campaign. However, relations have warmed considerably post Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit, with tourism officials targeting 300,000 Indian visitors in 2025 through enhanced air connectivity and marketing featuring Bollywood star Katrina Kaif. Early 2025 arrivals rose 9%, fueled by strong interest from China and Europe, signaling a recovery and expansion in key markets.

The terminal’s inauguration was celebrated nationwide with dazzling drone light shows, fireworks, and cultural performances across Malé and neighboring islands, drawing some 6,000 guests.

With this state-of-the-art terminal now operational, Maldives is poised to solidify its standing as a premier global destination, supporting the government’s ambitious $5 billion tourism revenue target for the year. Experts and officials alike regard the enhanced airport capacity and facilities as essential to accommodating growing tourist numbers, diversifying market segments such as multi-generational travel, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), adventure, and wellness tourism, and securing the nation’s economic future.

On July 26, 2025, Maldives marked its 60th Independence Day with a landmark event: the grand opening of the long-awaited new passenger terminal at Velana International Airport (MLE). President Mohamed Muizzu hailed the $585 million facility as “a pillar of economic independence,” spotlighting the terminal’s pivotal role in transforming the island nation’s tourism-driven economy.

Spanning 72,000 square meters and designed to accommodate 7.5 million passengers annually—more than triple the previous capacity—the terminal is the largest building ever constructed in the Maldives. It features 47 check-in counters, six self-service kiosks, 20 immigration counters, six boarding gates, and 12 aerobridges, along with state-of-the-art baggage handling and real-time tracking systems. The design elegantly blends modern architecture with Maldivian motifs, reflecting the natural beauty and culture of the islands.

Tourism accounts for roughly 21% of the Maldives’ GDP, and this expansion aims to eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks that previously restrained growth. According to the World Bank’s April 2025 report, the facility could bolster average economic growth by 5.2% in the medium term, while the International Monetary Fund expects the expanded terminal to sustain tourism momentum crucial to the country’s prosperity.

The project has a complex political and financial history. Originally initiated with India’s GMR Group in 2010, the contract was canceled in 2012 amid political shifts, leading to alternate funding from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and OPEC development funds alongside national budget contributions. These delays and shifting partnerships have significantly increased Maldives’ foreign debt, which now exceeds $8 billion.

Recent years saw diplomatic strains with India, including a 2024 “Boycott Maldives” campaign. However, relations have warmed considerably post Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit, with tourism officials targeting 300,000 Indian visitors in 2025 through enhanced air connectivity and marketing featuring Bollywood star Katrina Kaif. Early 2025 arrivals rose 9%, fueled by strong interest from China and Europe, signaling a recovery and expansion in key markets.

The terminal’s inauguration was celebrated nationwide with dazzling drone light shows, fireworks, and cultural performances across Malé and neighboring islands, drawing some 6,000 guests.

With this state-of-the-art terminal now operational, Maldives is poised to solidify its standing as a premier global destination, supporting the government’s ambitious $5 billion tourism revenue target for the year. Experts and officials alike regard the enhanced airport capacity and facilities as essential to accommodating growing tourist numbers, diversifying market segments such as multi-generational travel, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), adventure, and wellness tourism, and securing the nation’s economic future.

Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport (AUH) has reached a significant milestone by securing Level 3 accreditation in the Airports Council International (ACI) Customer Experience Accreditation programme, awarded in July 2025. This achievement highlights the airport’s unwavering commitment to delivering world-class guest experiences and reflects its progress in integrating customer experience into every facet of operations, placing passengers at the core of its service philosophy.

The accreditation comes amid strong passenger growth, with AUH welcoming 15.5 million passengers in the first half of 2025—a 13.2% year-on-year increase. This follows impressive growth rates of 28.1% in 2024 and 44.5% in 2023. Elena Sorlini, Managing Director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, noted, “As we celebrate 17 consecutive quarters of growth, including a strong performance in the first half of 2025, we remain sharply focused on enhancing the guest experience. Achieving Level 3 accreditation demonstrates our ability to balance expansion with service excellence.”

To earn the Level 3 status, AUH introduced several passenger-centric initiatives praised by ACI. These include dedicated passenger focus groups to gather traveller insights and a guest shadowing programme where staff experience the end-to-end airport journey from a passenger’s viewpoint. Enhanced collaboration is fostered through internal sharing of Voice of the Customer reports and strong cooperation with service partners, embedding a customer-centric approach across the operational ecosystem.

The ACI accreditation, the only global programme evaluating how airports integrate customer experience into their core strategies, reflects a deeper cultural transformation at Zayed International Airport. Employees, stakeholders, and passengers actively contribute to shaping the guest journey, underscoring a commitment to continuous improvement.

This achievement reaffirms Abu Dhabi Airports’ vision of elevating every passenger touchpoint through innovation, collaboration, and service excellence, setting new benchmarks in the global aviation industry.

A 25-year-old Chinese national is slated to face court on August 10 following his arrest for allegedly stealing from a fellow passenger aboard a flight from Dubai to Singapore.

The incident came to light early on August 8 at around 5:30 a.m., when the police received a report regarding a suspected theft in the business class cabin of the flight.

Preliminary investigations revealed that while the victim was asleep, his wife witnessed the suspect allegedly removing the victim’s bag from the overhead compartment. Upon being questioned by the victim’s wife, the man promptly returned the bag but aroused suspicion.

The victim was then alerted, and after the plane landed at Changi Airport, authorities from the Airport Police Division confronted the suspect. Unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for his actions, the man was arrested before he could board his next flight.

The specific airline involved has not been confirmed, though the route from Dubai International Airport to Changi Airport is served by Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

If found guilty, the suspect faces a potential prison sentence of up to three years, a fine, or both. This case highlights the vigilance of passengers and the swift response by law enforcement in safeguarding travel security.

In a significant stride toward regional stability, Turkey on Saturday warmly welcomed the historic peace agreement brokered between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The accord, signed on Friday during a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, also includes plans for a strategically vital transit corridor aimed at boosting energy exports and trade through the South Caucasus.

The newly established peace deal marks a breakthrough in the protracted conflict between the two neighbors. Central to the agreement is the creation of a U.S.-sanctioned transport route passing through Armenia, connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave, which borders Turkey. This corridor, dubbed the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), is expected to operate under Armenian jurisdiction, traversing the area near the Iranian border.

Turkey, a NATO ally and strong supporter of Azerbaijan during past conflicts, expressed hope that this corridor will soon open, describing it as a game-changer for regional connectivity. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking from Cairo, highlighted the corridor's potential to “link Europe with the depths of Asia via Turkey,” calling it “a very beneficial development” for economic cooperation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reinforced Ankara’s commitment to the peace process by engaging directly with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Erdogan praised the agreement and affirmed Turkey’s readiness to support enduring peace in the often-turbulent South Caucasus region.

The region, rich in energy resources and a crucial transit zone bridging Russia, Europe, Turkey, and Iran, has long been mired in ethnic conflicts and closed borders. This breakthrough could open new avenues for energy transport, trade, and diplomacy, overcoming decades of division.

Iran welcomed the accord as a significant move toward “lasting regional peace,” while cautioning against foreign interventions near its borders that might threaten stability.

As regional powers watch closely, this historic peace pact and the proposed transit corridor could redefine the geopolitical landscape of the South Caucasus, fostering cooperation and economic growth in an area long marked by conflict.

In an exciting turn of events this Wednesday, Dubai Duty Free (DDF) announced two lucky winners of the coveted $1 million Millennium Millionaire raffle, adding fresh faces to their illustrious list of million-dollar prize recipients.

Wayne Nash D’Souza, an 18-year-old Indian expatriate student born and raised in Dubai, clinched the jackpot in Series 510 with ticket number 4463. The young winner purchased his lucky ticket on July 26 at Concourse A, just before embarking on a new journey to Los Angeles with his family, where he is set to begin his studies in aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

From Los Angeles, an excited Wayne shared his joy, “Thank you so much, Dubai Duty Free. I will definitely put this money to good use.” When asked about his plans, he looked to his father and explained, “It will go toward me and my sister’s education, and some of it will be used to buy property or invest in Dubai.”

With family roots in Mumbai, Wayne is no stranger to travel, making regular trips with his family three to four times a year. Buying tickets for the Millennium Millionaire draw has become a cherished tradition for them. Notably, Wayne is the 255th Indian national to win the million-dollar prize since the raffle’s inception in 1999.

Joining Wayne in the millionaires' circle is Mansour Al Hashemi, a 55-year-old Emirati father of four from Al Ain, who won in Series 511 with ticket number 0548. Mansour purchased his winning ticket on July 27 at Concourse B before heading off to Bahrain.

A loyal participant in the promotion for over a decade, Mansour expressed his heartfelt gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Dubai Duty Free! I’m very happy to have won in your amazing promotion.” His win marks him as the 17th Emirati national to join the exclusive club of million-dollar winners.

These stories of fortune reflect not only the excitement of Dubai Duty Free’s Millennium Millionaire raffle but also the dreams and aspirations of those who participate regularly, hoping to turn a ticket into a life-changing moment. As Wayne prepares for university and Mansour plans for his family’s future, the promise of Dubai Duty Free’s iconic raffle continues to inspire and reward hopeful travellers every year.