Friday, September 18, 2026
thebrix Times
The Gulf

The Gulf Tourism, the malls, the state — Qatar first

Tourism dashboard · latest official prints

Market · metricLatestComparisonPeriod
Qatar
International arrivals, Jan–Aug2.338m≈-26% vs 3.17m3 Sep release
August arrivals303k+6.3% m/m · -2.6% y/yAug 2026
GCC share of arrivals41%35% in FY2025Jan–Aug
Hotel occupancy / ADR56.6% / QAR 375August not yet publishedJul 2026
Qatar Airways passengers90–95% of last yearHIA 140,000+ a day; 160 destinations restored11 Sep
United Arab Emirates
Dubai visitors, August869kbest month since Feb; Jan–Aug 6.97m14 Sep
Dubai hotel occupancy, August66%89% of Aug 2025; March trough 36%13 Sep
Dubai source mix, Jan–AugW. Europe 20% · S. Asia 17%GCC 16% · CIS 14%14 Sep
DXB passengers, July6.3m (+26% m/m)2026 forecast ~70m vs 95.2m in 202511 Sep
Abu Dhabi hotel guests, Jan–Aug3.2m (-14.2%)India -37%, China -33%, Russia -41%; domestic+GCC 59%16 Sep
Emirates capacity93% of pre-war; 98% of network30+ agreements at ATM17 Sep
Saudi Arabia
Inbound tourists, Q18.3m (-13%)total 37.2m (+8%); domestic +16%Q1 2026
Riyadh hotel occupancy49.3%-17.9% y/yJan–Apr 2026

Sources: Qatar Tourism via Business Today ME, 3 Sep · Skift, 4 Sep · Euronews, 11 Sep · DET via Gulf News, 14 Sep · TradeArabia, 13 Sep · Dubai Media Office, 11 Sep · Skift, 16 Sep · Emirates 24|7, 17 Sep · Saudi Ministry of Tourism via SPA

Qatar · The week

Qatar used Arabian Travel Market week to relaunch its demand story. Visit Qatar took a 50-partner, 650 sq m double-deck stand to Dubai, staged a "La Parada" activation in Madrid tied to its Formula 1 partnership, and on Wednesday launched the 2026–27 Qatar Calendar: more than 560 events, 780 partners, a printed run of 35,000 a month and, by year-end, a unified digital ticketing platform with partnerships spanning Qatar Rail, the Supreme Committee and Aspire Zone. Qatar Airways signed six tourism partnerships at the fair; UFC confirmed a 21 November return to Doha. The Cabinet approved a draft law on precious metals and gemstones, aligning hallmarking with international standards under stronger QGOSM supervision, and reviewed Qatar Tourism's 2025 report; the Ministry of Commerce launched a QAR 500 e-commerce licence covering 194 activities, from fashion design to photography.

The harder numbers were softer. The Qatar Central Bank raised all three policy rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday. S&P Global's regional roundup for August has Qatar as the only Gulf economy where non-oil output fell, with input costs rising, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE posted six- and seven-month highs. Ministry of Justice data for 6–12 September show sales of QAR 354.5m across 118 deals, down 32 percent on a year earlier and more than half on the prior week, with mortgages up 27 percent to QAR 115m; a later bulletin puts 6–10 September trading at QAR 387.9m, with Lusail, The Pearl and Al Dafna among the areas traded. The Formula 1 decision on the 29 November Lusail race, promised for mid-September, has slipped: reports now point to October, with Imola on standby, while the QMMF says "everything is a go-ahead" and MotoGP on 8 November remains scheduled. The Jewellery and Watches Exhibition opens on the 28th.

Sources: The Peninsula, 14 Sep · The Peninsula, 16 Sep · Qatar Tribune, 16 Sep · Qatar Airways, 16 Sep · The Peninsula, 17 Sep · The Peninsula, 16 Sep · The Peninsula, 17 Sep · GDN, 17 Sep · The Peninsula, 14 Sep · Qatar Tribune, 17 Sep · GrandPrix247, 11 Sep · The Peninsula, 16 Sep · The Peninsula, 14 Sep · The Peninsula, 16 Sep · Qatar Tribune, 16 Sep · Qatar Airways, 16 Sep · The Peninsula, 17 Sep · The Peninsula, 16 Sep · The Peninsula, 17 Sep · GDN, 17 Sep · The Peninsula, 14 Sep · Qatar Tribune, 17 Sep · GrandPrix247, 11 Sep · The Peninsula, 16 Sep

The Malls · Gulf retail real estate this week

A Travel Fair Sets the Winter's Terms; Operators Build Logistics and Dining While Riyadh's Luxury Wave Slips

Arabian Travel Market produced a single "Visit UAE" brand, 30 Emirates agreements and a 40-hotel Rotana pipeline. Alshaya opened a company-owned distribution centre; Majid Al Futtaim opened a chef-led dining hub. Westfield Riyadh's September opening remains unannounced.

No verifiable news surfaced this week for Place Vendôme, Doha Festival City, Villaggio or Printemps Doha; Mall of Qatar ran free fitness classes on its Oasis Stage through Saturday. Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, the Avenues, the Galleria, Yas, Marassi Galleria, Kingdom Centre and Solitaire were likewise quiet, and Cenomi's Westfield Riyadh — guided in February to open in September, with Westfield Jeddah 96 percent pre-leased since July — has still not been given a date. Riyadh's luxury supply wave is slipping rather than accelerating.

The week's retail news was infrastructure. Alshaya Group opened its first company-owned distribution centre in Kuwait — 51,000 sq m, 51,000 pallet positions, 585 staff and a 110-vehicle fleet serving about fifty brands and 490 stores — consolidating retail, food, shop-fit, e-commerce and last-mile logistics; the region's largest franchise operator is investing in owned omnichannel capacity, which raises the bar for landlords' back-of-house and delivery provision. Majid Al Futtaim opened "Chef's Society" at City Centre Mirdif: ten chef-led concepts including two Michelin Bib Gourmand holders, Bait Maryam and REIF, alongside Kunal Kapur's Anara and Roman pizzaiolo Bonci — "transforming our malls into social hubs," in chief executive Khalifa Bin Braik's words, and a low-capex footfall lever now being deployed in community malls, not only flagships. Sharjah's 114-day summer promotion reported more than AED 850m in economic returns across a thousand retailers.

Arabian Travel Market, twice postponed and finally held on 14–17 September, produced the winter's framework: a first unified "Visit UAE" national brand and a cross-emirate "Grand Tour" platform; Emirates' 30-plus agreements across sixteen countries, from Japan and Finland to Alibaba's Fliggy and MSC Cruises; Etihad's August load factor of 92 percent; a new low-cost UAE carrier flying from Saturday; and Rotana's pipeline of forty hotels and 8,334 keys, ten of them in Saudi Arabia. Global Village opens its 31st season on 14 October and runs to 17 May; Riyadh Season's date is still unannounced beyond the Six Kings Slam on 21–24 October. The GCC unified tourist visa remains "soon."

Sources: Alshaya Group, 17 Sep · Majid Al Futtaim, 16 Sep · Gulf News, 16 Sep · Emirates 24|7, 17 Sep · Gulf News, 17 Sep · GDN (Rotana), 15 Sep · Emirates 24|7, 14 Sep · Argaam (Westfield Jeddah), 4 Aug · The Peninsula, 16 Sep · Alshaya Group, 17 Sep · Majid Al Futtaim, 16 Sep · Gulf News, 16 Sep · Emirates 24|7, 17 Sep · Gulf News, 17 Sep · GDN (Rotana), 15 Sep · Emirates 24|7, 14 Sep · Argaam (Westfield Jeddah), 4 Aug · The Peninsula, 16 Sep

The season ahead · Doha and the region

  • 18–19 Sep Qatar Classic squash final; Floaties Festival, 974 Beach; Philharmonic, QNCC
  • 18–20 Sep BilAraby Annual Gathering, Education City
  • 23 Sep Primark opens, City Centre Bahrain
  • 28 Sep–3 Oct Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition, DECC
  • 30 Sep Hala Summer hotel campaign ends
  • 1–3 Oct Geekend (Geekdom)
  • 12–14 Oct Hospitality Qatar 2026, DECC
  • 20–22 Oct Milipol Qatar, DECC
  • 14 Oct Global Village Dubai, season 31 (to 17 May)
  • 21–24 Oct Six Kings Slam, Riyadh Season
  • 27–29 Oct Qatar Real Estate Forum & Cityscape Qatar, DECC
  • 29 Oct Primark opens, Doha Festival City
  • 8 Nov MotoGP, Lusail (scheduled)
  • 19 Nov–13 Dec FIFA U-17 World Cup, Qatar
  • 21 Nov UFC Fight Night Doha (tickets 9 Oct)
  • 27–29 Nov Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix — decision now expected in October

Sources: The Peninsula, 16 Sep · Visit Qatar · Emirates 24|7 · SPA (Six Kings Slam) · GrandPrix247, 11 Sep

Briefs · Fashion & luxury · corporate moves and the wires

Nike adds LVMH's Alexandre Arnault to its board

The 34-year-old head of LVMH's wines and spirits, formerly of Rimowa and Tiffany, joins as Nike contends with some $200bn of lost market value since 2021 and pressure from Hoka and On — a signal of deeper luxury–sportswear convergence. Fortune, 17 Sep

London Fashion Week opens with McQueen, Mulberry and M&S

The 17–21 September schedule features Alexander McQueen under Seán McGirr, Mulberry under Christopher Kane and Marks & Spencer's first official appearance, alongside Burberry and Erdem, with retail tie-ins from eBay, Selfridges and H&M. TheIndustry.fashion

Chopard names Liu Wen global ambassador

The Chinese model fronts Happy Diamonds' 50th anniversary alongside Bella Hadid — Swiss jewellers re-committing marketing to the Chinese travelling shopper. Jing Daily, 17 Sep

Bristol bans fast-fashion advertising on council sites

An 8–1 council vote bars fast-fashion advertising alongside fossil fuels, airlines and cruises — an early marker of regulatory pressure on high-volume fashion marketing. Retail Gazette, 17 Sep

By the numbers · Dubai's recovery, as the department reports it

869kinternational visitors in August — the best month since February (DET via Gulf News, 14 Sep)
6.97mvisitors January–August; the 2026 target was 20m (DET)
66%August hotel occupancy, 89% of last August; the March trough was 36% (TradeArabia, 13 Sep)
6.3mDXB passengers in July, +26% on June; capacity 84% and passengers 78% of pre-disruption (Dubai Media Office, 11 Sep)
~70mDXB passengers forecast for 2026, against 95.2m in 2025 (Dubai Airports)
-14.2%Abu Dhabi hotel guests January–August, 3.2m; India -37%, China -33%, Russia -41% (Skift, 16 Sep)

Sources: Gulf News, 14 Sep · TradeArabia, 13 Sep · Dubai Media Office, 11 Sep · Skift, 16 Sep

thebrix Times · The GulfFigures as published by the named authority; derived figures marked