Category Events, Tourism, Organisations & Operators

Dubai International Airport (DXB), long known as one of the world’s busiest and most dynamic aviation hubs, reached a remarkable milestone, processing 324,000 passengers in a single 24-hour period — a figure that underscores its growing prominence in global air travel.

The record-setting day reflects the strategic importance of Dubai as a major international connector, linking the East and West and serving as a transit point for travelers from every continent. The surge in passenger movement highlights a robust rebound in global travel demand, with more people than ever choosing to fly for business, leisure, and connecting journeys through the emirate.

As the final hours of 2025 slipped away, Beijing’s 798 Art District became an open-air stage where art, technology and public life converged to welcome the new year.

Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, announced a wide-ranging program to showcase before the global tourism market the richness, diversity, and potential of Mexico for international investment.
With the support of the Embassy of Mexico in Spain, the agenda of activities that Mexico will feature as Partner Country of FITUR 2026, the International Tourism Fair to be held from January 21 to 25 at IFEMA MADRID, has been unveiled. The announcement, hosted at the Residence of the Diplomatic Representation, was attended by Secretary of Tourism Josefina Rodríguez Zamora; Mexico’s Ambassador to Spain, Quirino Ordaz; Coordinator of the Economic Development Advisory Council, Altagracia Gómez; President of ASETUR, Bernardo Cueto Riestra; and IFEMA MADRID’s Executive Vice President, Daniel Martínez.

The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah rang in 2026 with a spectacular 15-minute drones and fireworks display that set a new Guinness World Records title for the ‘Largest aerial display of a phoenix formed by multirotors/drones’.

The highlight of the celebration was an awe-inspiring drone performance that transformed the night sky into a living canvas. At the heart of this display was the record-breaking Phoenix, a mythical symbol of renewal, optimism, and rebirth, echoing Ras Al Khaimah’s own transformation and ambition to continuously reimagine its future. This display was brought to life by 2,300 drones, including 1,000 state-of-the-art pyro drones that ignited the Phoenix wings in a dramatic blaze of light as it soared above Ras Al Khaimah’s waterfront. The spectacle continued with another striking drone formation named ‘The Welcome’ – a human form rising from the sea with open arms, embodying the emirate’s spirit of warmth, openness, and hospitality.

New Taipei City welcomed the coming of 2026 with its flagship New Year’s Eve event, Shining New Taipei 1314 Cross-River Fireworks, was held along the Tamsui River with dual main stages in Tamsui and Bali on the two sides of the river. Combining large-scale outdoor concerts with a spectacular cross-river fireworks display, the event attracted an estimated 90K visitors on December 31, marking one of Taiwan’s most iconic New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“A Night In Old San Antonio®” (NIOSA®)—a four-night festival that celebrates the city’s diverse cultural legacy—will be held April 21- 24, 2026 from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. nightly during Fiesta San Antonio®. It is held in La Villita Historic Arts Village in the heart of downtown.

Celebrating its 78th presentation in 2026, NIOSA is the top fundraiser for historic preservation in the United States—living up to its motto as a “Celebration for Preservation.” It is solely produced by and benefits The Conservation Society of San Antonio—one of the nation’s oldest and most active historic preservation organizations that celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024.

This January, Abu Dhabi will take centre stage on the global sporting calendar as Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club (ADEC) hosts the UAE President’s Cup International Showjumping from 7–11 January 2026, delivering five days of elite competition, curated entertainment, and elevated lifestyle experiences.

Roadtrips, a leader in premium sports travel experiences, is offering custom-designed 2026 FIFA World Cup™ travel packages that allow soccer fans to focus on the excitement of the matches while leaving the complex logistics to the experts.

This will be the largest World Cup in history, with a record 48 teams featuring the sport’s brightest stars playing 104 matches in 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament starts on June 11 and ends with the championship on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, just outside New York City.

Travelers aren’t just attending events – they’re building entire trips around them. Arival’s new report, The Event-Driven Traveler, reveals that fandom – whether for a sport, artist, or performance – is a major motivator for travel, especially among younger audiences.  With global fan-based events such as the World Cup, Ariana Grande’s upcoming tour, and the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon, passion-driven travel is set to accelerate even further.

Visit Qatar has announced the return of the 25N51E Music Festival, taking place on 30 January 2026 at the iconic Stadium 974, bringing one of Qatar’s most exciting electronic-dance music experiences to life with an extraordinary lineup of international artists across two dynamic stages.