Kuwait airport travel up 7%, but what about discrimination controversy?

Air travel to and from the small Gulf Coast country of Kuwait seems to be growing - but with the recent abandonment of London-JFK routes by the country's leading airline, Kuwait Airways, that growth is not likely to be coming from the West. Recently released statistics show that the passenger volume through Kuwait International Airport is up 7 percent from 2015 as of May. Read More »

Study finds Ras al Khaimah among world's top 'happiness' communities

If you believe a recent quality-of-life study, Ras al Khaimah (RAK) is really a pretty nice place to live. The study is a collaboration between the Ras al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Nielsen. For the study, RAK-TDA commissioned research initiatives to look at the overall quality of life for RAK residents with an eye toward the global World Happiness Report. Read More »

Gulf region hotels investing in new technologies for tomorrow's traveler

Some tech leaders are pointing to bold new initiatives by hotel chains in the Middle East region as a kind of renaissance for advanced products and services. Avaya, for one, cited 40 percent growth within a six month period. In a June 19 press release, experts attributed the rise in Avaya’s business to investments that hoteliers are hoping will reap dividends. Read More »

Sabre deal gives Eithad Air a new tech platform to boost passenger choices

A contract between technology firm Sabre Corp. and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is the latest example of major disruption in the airline industry - changes that are bound to affect global air travel in a good way. Etihad Airways' recently signed agreement will allow passengers to book different types of travel and select options for seating, baggage and handling of airline points. Read More »

Dubai boosts trade efforts with Africa at agribusiness forum in Kenya

A recent agribusiness conference in Nairobi highlighted the desire of United Arab Emirates officials to expand trade with African nations and how leaders from Dubai are looking closely at continuing to expand trade with East African nations, including Ethiopia. Dubai imports 85 percent of its food and much of that comes from Ethiopia, according to Informa Middle East. Read More »

Study finds low online banking adoption in GCC countries

As tech journalists, finance professionals and others try to read the tea leaves on the advancing technology and practices of the banking industry, researchers are getting mixed signals from some consumer markets. One example is a recent study of smartphone users in the Gulf Coast region which uncovered trends among banking customers in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Read More »

Ramadan in modern times: Does the holy season impact work routines?

For those unfamiliar with the season of Ramadan, the prospect of interacting with practicing Muslims during that month can be daunting. Many know that these Islamic holy days require fasting from dawn to dusk. Others might know that Ramadan is based on the revelation of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel, information that can be found on Wikipedia. Read More »

ZenLayer expands Into Dubai

Zenlayer, a global network and service provider of SDN (software-defined networking) technology, recently expanded its colocation and hosting capabilities with Equinix into Dubai and Melbourne, Australia.These two markets joins ZenLayer’s existing network of 50 data centers worldwide. As a service provider, ZenLayer connects companies and other parties in many different ways. Read More »

Auditing sovereign wealth funds: Qatar Investment Authority at the back of the class

In the past few months, Qatar Investment Authority officials announced fund managers are making moves toward investing $35 billion in U.S. interests while opening an office in New York. The fund has hired top finance professionals. But none of that has, as yet, been enough to move the QIA from the bottom of the barrel in the eyes of organizations charged with monitoring sovereign wealth funds. Read More »

Qatar Investment Authority taking steps to restructure assets

In an attempt to manage a significant amount of capital, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is apparently shuffling up to $100 billion into new investment efforts in what Arabian Business magazine is calling a “major overhaul.” A magazine story in mid-May said the Qatari sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is creating a new internal division to be headed by Ahmed Al Rumaihi. Read More »

Blockchain Technology Conference in Dubai focusing on bitcoin transactions and other innovations

While focusing on the modernization of financial management, advances in education and the diversification of assets, Middle Eastern officials are not neglecting some of the biggest technologies that have impacted finance in the last decade. Keynote Events and other partners are holding the first Blockchain Technology Conference in Dubai, which kicked off Monday at the Burj Al Arab.  Read More »

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