A Note from the Editors

Dear Readers,

Happy New Year and welcome to the first edition of 2025! ✨ We're keeping things light as we ease into January—no feature article or interview this time (because let’s be real, attention spans are a little fragile right now).

We’re excited to share that your feedback is shaping our direction. You’ll notice a broader regional range and deeper dives into the experience economy, reflecting the diversity and creativity across our communities. 

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts—your input fuels what we create. If you like this week’s edition, share with someone who’d like to check into MENA’s experience economy.

Here’s to a year of exploration, connection, and keeping it light (for now). Enjoy and stay in touch — we have our socials up and running!

What you’ll find in this week’s edition: Visual Vignette // This Week’s Curation // The Public Conversation // Would This Work in MENA? // Global Spotlight

Visual Vignette

 A pop-up tennis court in Jeddah made entirely of rugs, with stunning views of the Red Sea and the Formula 1 track.  Visual credit: @blank.studio, Instagram.

This Week’s Curation

Fresh Takes: The Concepts and Trends to Watch This Week

🛎️ The Luxury Collection has debuted Bab Samhan in Diriyah, blending authentic Najdi design with modern luxury to honor Saudi Arabia’s historic district. The town’s first hotel offers an immersive cultural experience, connecting guests to Diriyah's rich heritage and architectural legacy.

🌀 Our Take: The opening act in Diriyah’s transformation into a global cultural destination. As the first of 40 planned properties in the area, Bab Samhan sets the bar high, blending Najdi-inspired architecture, immersive cultural experiences, and elevated culinary offerings into a seamless narrative of Saudi heritage. This debut signals more than just tourism growth—it’s a blueprint for how Saudi Arabia intends to balance authenticity with modern luxury. If Bab Samhan’s success is any indication, Diriyah is poised to become a benchmark for heritage-driven hospitality, redefining how travelers experience the Kingdom.

📈 Dubai’s creative sector contributes significantly to the global economy, accounting for 6.1% of the world's GDP, equivalent to $4.3 trillion. Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, attributed this achievement to Dubai's visionary leadership and its attractive legislative and investment environment, which have cemented the city’s status as a global hub for cultural and creative industries.

🌀 Our Take: Dubai’s creative sector is driving economic diversification and solidifying the Emirate’s status as a global ecosystem catalyzer. In 2022, cultural and creative industries contributed AED 21.96 billion ($5.98 billion) to GDP, outpacing the US’s respective growth in these sectors. Supported by AED 1.6 billion in digital infrastructure investments, a 16th global ease-of-doing-business ranking, and a clear legislative framework, Dubai has successfully fostered over 47,000 creative companies and created 175,000+ jobs. Dubai continues to play a pivotal role in deploying global AI and immersive technologies, attracting talent and investment on an unprecedented scale.

💻 huna has introduced huna AlUla, a creative coworking space in Saudi Arabia's historic AlUla Old Town, blending modern workspaces with a design ethos inspired by local heritage.The space provides flexible membership options and amenities, including high-speed internet and artisanal coffee, catering to professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives.

🌀 Our Take: huna AlUla amplifies AlUla’s identity by blending modern coworking functionalities with designs inspired by its rich heritage, such as meeting rooms modeled after the traditional Arab Majlis. Positioned to attract premium creative and digital nomad tourists, the coworking space plays a pivotal role in diversifying AlUla’s visitor base and elevating its global appeal. With AlUla targeting 2 million annual visitors by 2025, huna AlUla aligns perfectly with the region’s strategy to combine work, culture, and ecotourism into a cohesive experience.

🏘️ Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced plans to regulate Airbnb operations to ensure safety, cleanliness, and quality standards across various property types. The initiative includes an accreditation system for compliant properties, aligning with Egypt's strategy to attract 30 million tourists annually by 2028.

🌀 Our Take: Egypt regulating Airbnb is like finally setting ground rules for a wild house party—it’s about time. With plans to attract 30 million tourists annually by 2028, this move could help bridge the gap between Egypt’s 220,000 existing hotel rooms and the additional 250,000 rooms it needs to meet its ambitious targets. But big dreams need a solid game plan. Without a unified strategy tying Airbnb, hotel expansions, and infrastructure together, Egypt might end up with more guests than beds—or worse, more complaints than compliments. A roadmap with clear KPIs and investor incentives could ensure this isn’t just a tourism glow-up but a full-on transformation of the guest and tourist experience.

🌟 Mama Shelter, renowned for its vibrant and informal hospitality, has opened its first MENA property in Dubai's Business Bay. With 197 rooms, 204 residences, four swimming pools, and eclectic dining options, the hotel aims to become  a social hotspot for millennials and Gen Z travelers.

🌀 Our Take: Sassy and flamboyant, Mama Shelter’s arrival in Dubai is a litmus test for the city’s hospitality evolution. With 66% of millennials and Gen Z prioritizing experiences over material goods, the hotel taps into the demand for vibrant, social stays. Building on the success of 25hours Hotel Dubai, Mama Shelter’s playful, informal vibe targets a younger, socially connected audience. The big question? Whether it can match the strong RevPAR (revenue per available room) of other lifestyle properties and cement approachable luxury as a key trend in the MENA region.

🏗️ The Sports Boulevard Foundation has launched a $933.3 million mixed-use development in Riyadh's Urban Wadi, covering 39,759 square meters with over 207,000 square meters of built-up area. This project aims to redefine Riyadh's skyline by integrating modern urban planning with lifestyle amenities, contributing to the city's transformation under Saudi Vision 2030.

🌀 Our Take: Urban Wadi underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambition to elevate quality of life by enhancing green spaces, public infrastructure, and lifestyle facilities in Riyadh, aligning with Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Programme. By leveraging a robust PPP (public-private partnership) model with local and foreign investors, the project boosts FDI and supports knowledge transfer to elevate local urban design talent. This initiative exemplifies scalable, sustainable urban development, integrating modern planning with international expertise.

🌆 President Tebboune announces his vision of transforming Algiers into a modern metropolis that reflects Algeria's wealth, heritage, and economic success. This includes extensive renovations of cultural landmarks like the historic Casbah and plans for a state-of-the-art aquarium, preserving the city’s history while enhancing its appeal as a vibrant cultural and tourist destination.

🌀 Our Take:  One of our readers flagged this as a critical story, and we couldn’t agree more—it deserves closer attention. Algeria saw tourist arrivals jump from 125,000 in 2021 to 3.3 million in 2023, signaling significant progress. With these projects and infrastructure investments, Algiers aims to rival regional tourism powerhouses. However, the current numbers still fall short of Morocco’s 11 million or Egypt’s 8 million annual visitors. The question is whether this momentum can accelerate Algeria’s position as a top travel destination. We’ll be keeping a closer eye on Algiers as this transformation unfolds—it could redefine North Africa’s tourism landscape in the years to come.

🏝️ Kazazian Cruises are teasing us with a sneak peak at their upcoming  boutique hotel in Siwa. It is developing a nine-room ultra-luxury hotel on 280 acres in Egypt's remote Siwa Oasis crafted from ancient white coral, promising to be one of the most exclusive stays in the country.

🌀 Our Take: While details of Kazazian’s project are still emerging , the ambitious project signals a shift in Siwa’s identity, introducing a level of opulence that challenges its reputation as a haven for simplicity. This move aligns with global trends favoring experiential luxury, but it also raises important questions about how far this shift can go without diluting Siwa’s cultural and ecological appeal. The development reflects a broader evolution in Egypt’s tourism strategy, focusing on niche markets over volume-driven approaches. As Siwa navigates this transformation, it has the potential to emerge as a blueprint for attracting high-spending travelers while maintaining its soul—if the balance is struck just right.

The Public Conversation

asharqbegy

View more on Instagram

Amr Gazarin, Executive Chairman of Orascom Pyramids Entertainment, outlines the planned February launch of the reinvented visitor experience at the Pyramids of Giza. (Source: Instagram)

Would This Work in MENA?

Rain Report (레인리포트) is a rain-themed café in Seoul's Itaewon district that simulates rainfall every 15 minutes, offering patrons an immersive experience reminiscent of rainy days. The café provides clear umbrellas for guests to use during the indoor rain, enhancing the ambiance and providing unique photo opportunities. Since its opening, Rain Report has gained popularity, attracting visitors eager to enjoy its distinctive atmosphere and selection of coffee and desserts.

Global Spotlight

anyma

View more on Instagram

🤖 Anyma, the multidisciplinary music and contemporary art project led by Matteo Milleri, has announced “The End of Genesys,” a four-act cybernetic opera to be performed at The Sphere in Las Vegas. This groundbreaking production will feature robotic musicians alongside Anyma's electronic compositions, exploring themes of humanity's relationship with technology, consciousness, and evolution. The opera's acts delve into the convergence of the organic and digital realms, questioning the future of human existence in the age of artificial intelligence.

🌀 Our Take: While labeled a “cybernetic opera,” this production feels more like a groundbreaking fusion of concert and visual storytelling. The Sphere’s cutting-edge technology pushes immersive entertainment to new heights, making this project as much about redefining human connection through art as it is about performance. The announcement of a Sphere in the UAE adds an exciting dimension, offering the region an opportunity to cement its place as a global hub for next-generation experiences.

Let’s Hear from You!

Connect with Us

Let’s Stay in Touch  LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok

We’d love to hear from you! Share your feedback, questions, or content suggestions at [email protected] 

Share with Your Friends: Spread the word about The Dyorama! Forward this email or tag us on socials.