A Note from the Editors

Hi everyone, it’s Ali. Nureen’s in London this week, doing her big girl job, so I’m stepping in for the editor’s note. Let’s see how this goes.

First off, a milestone worth celebrating: we officially crossed 200 subscribers last week! No ads, no giveaways, just organic growth powered by late nights, a lot of coffee, and incredible people like you. It feels amazing to see this community grow because of your support. Thank you for being here.

On another note, we’ve caught the attention of some industry leaders who are excited about what we’re building. We’re currently working on a few collaborative proposals that align with their vision, and ours. Honestly, it’s incredible seeing the momentum building and to hear the kind of feedback we’ve been getting from the exact audience we hoped to reach. This is what growth looks like, and we’re here for it.

Meanwhile, Meta decided to shake things up, and now our carefully curated Instagram grid is looking a little… experimental. It’s a temporary phase while we’re figuring it out, and it’ll be back to looking sharp in no time.

Before I go, I want to give a couple special shoutouts:

📣 Gamila & Nada Tameem – Your weekly support and thoughtful feedback are pure gold. Thank you for keeping us inspired.

📣 Mariam Maghazy – Your detailed input and feedback (sometimes too detailed) are a gift. We couldn’t ask for better energy on this journey.

And one last thing, thank you to everyone who’s expressed interest in meeting up in Dubai! We’re planning something special to bring us all together to share ideas, creativity... or just coffee. 📣 And to Malak Yacout, thank you for suggesting Abu Dhabi! We’d love to plan a meet up there too. Could you drop us an email so we can discuss the details?

I think I’ve struck the right balance between short and rambling. Now, let’s dive into this week’s takes.

— Ali 

P.S. 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 appreciate exploring the dynamic intersection of hospitality, design and business in the MENA region.

What you’ll find in this week’s edition: Visual Vignette // This Week’s Curation // Q&A Interview Profile // The Public Conversation // Global Spotlight // On Our Radar

Visual Vignette

HALO turned a gritty power plant into a scene straight out of a futuristic dream. A glowing circular light installation, dramatically suspended from an overhead crane, set the vibe as guests floated seamlessly from aperitif to walking dinner to afterparty chic.

This Week’s Curation

Fresh Takes: The Concepts and Trends to Watch This Week

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🍿 Maison Valentino, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), brought Federico Fellini’s world to life with Valentino Cinema, a four-night celebration of Italian cinematic brilliance. This wasn’t just a screening; it was a symphony of fashion, film and storytelling that transformed Abu Dhabi into a stage for the golden age of Italian cinema.

🌀 Our Take: This is experiential placemaking at its finest. Valentino Cinema didn’t just showcase culture, it immersed attendees in it, blurring the lines between spectator and participant. Abu Dhabi is proving it’s more than a luxury destination; it’s a canvas for storyliving, where bold collaborations like this one redefine how we experience culture, creativity, and luxury.

🗒️ Shamal Holding  recently released a white paper that dives into the booming experience economy, revealing that 85% of UAE residents prioritize meaningful experiences every month, often spending up to 25% of their disposable income on them. It’s a bold reminder that the UAE isn’t just keeping up with global trends, but setting them. This isn’t just talk. Back in October, Shamal took a majority stake in Dubai’s Espresso Lab, an iconic “third space” that perfectly blends community and curated experiences. From elevated coffee rituals to human-centered design, this move signals a clear understanding: experiences aren’t add-ons, they’re essential. 

🌀 Our Take: Shamal isn’t just responding to demand, they’re shaping it. By marrying data-driven insights with bold investments, they’re carving out a UAE where connection and culture lead the way. This is the kind of future the experience economy promises: one where every interaction leaves a lasting impression.

🌍 At Davos 2025, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its ambitious Vision 2030 goals, aiming to attract 150 million tourists annually with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and cultural engagement. With $1 trillion in investments and a bold strategy, the Kingdom is reshaping global tourism narratives. Meanwhile, day one of Davos coincided with the inauguration of Donald Trump—again. As the world braces for the potential ripple effects of a second term, questions loom: How will this impact travel, trade, and cultural exchange? Will a more polarized global landscape push regions like MENA further into the spotlight as hubs of collaboration and innovation?

🌀 Our Take: While uncertainty swirls elsewhere, Saudi Arabia is forging ahead with a future-focused strategy. Vision 2030 is more than a tourism goal—it’s a statement about the Kingdom’s readiness to lead on sustainability and global engagement. The MENA region might just prove to be the world’s most compelling answer to change and unpredictability.  

🎥 The Tablieyt Masr initiative returned to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization for its third season, blending Egypt’s rich culinary heritage with cinematic nostalgia. At this unique event, iconic dishes from beloved Egyptian films were brought to life, offering visitors a chance to savor the flavors of their favorite movie moments. The program merges food, culture, and storytelling, creating an immersive experience that connects the past to the present through the universal language of cuisine. 

🌀 Our Take: It’s a back-to-back W for NMEC, proving yet again how Egypt can innovate in cultural placemaking. The third season of Tablieyt Masr turned iconic cinematic dishes into immersive experiences, blending food, film, and nostalgia to celebrate Egyptian heritage. We think this concept has the potential to scale into smaller supper club settings: intimate gatherings where guests dine on cinematic dishes as classic films play in the background. Imagine Salah Ragab’s Egyptian Strut setting the mood. Egypt is showing us that food isn’t just heritage; it’s a stage for storytelling. How will the next act play out?

🌆 DMCC has unveiled The Plaza at Uptown Dubai, a vibrant urban hub designed as the centerpiece of the district. Combining world-class dining, retail, and entertainment with sustainable design, The Plaza reflects Dubai’s vision for innovative and community-centered urban spaces. It’s set to become a key destination for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

🌀 Our Take: This feels like exactly what Uptown Dubai needed to attract footfall. With the growing demand for spaces that combine lifestyle, business and innovation, The Plaza stands out as more than just a destination. In the UAE, where urban development is always evolving, spaces like this are shaping new standards for community-focused design. We’re keeping our eyes peeled for the official launch.

🏰 Ethr and Al Bader Festival have teamed up for an epic takeover at Fujairah Fort, blending history with modern flair in the heart of Bait Al Fan. Inspired by Fujairah’s stone houses, this interactive pop-up reimagines tradition through a sleek, cultural design lens.

🌀 Our Take: You know we love an activation that ties culture, history, and space together. Ethr and Al Bader Festival’s takeover at Fujairah Fort transforms Fujairah’s stone houses into an interactive design experience, blending tradition with a modern edge. Pop-ups like these show a global trend toward immersive cultural activations, where heritage isn’t just preserved but actively experienced in meaningful ways. The takeaway? The best spaces don’t just preserve history, they invite you to live it.

🎉 2024 has been a landmark year for Tunisia, with the country surpassing 10 million visitors for the first time since 2019, generating over TND 6.8 billion ($2.117 billion USD) in revenues, a 25% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. This isn’t just a recovery; it’s a strategic pivot. Tunisia has embraced sustainable tourism, prioritizing eco-friendly initiatives and cultural heritage sites, which now attract a growing segment of experience-driven travelers.

🌀 Our Take:  Tunisia’s comeback is proof that resilience thrives at the intersection of strategy and authenticity. With visitors staying longer and spending more, the country is shifting from volume-driven tourism to value-driven experiences. For the MENA region, this is a playbook: focus on elevating unique cultural assets, invest in sustainability, and lean into meaningful narratives. The result? Growth that isn’t just profitable but transformative.

Q&A Interview Profile

Home Away from Home: Q&A with Shaden Abdellatif on The Nadi’s Impact on Lives in the UAE

Meet Shaden Abdellatif, co-founder of The Nadi, a groundbreaking multigenerational community redefining life for older adults and their families in the UAE. From whiskey nights to ceramics workshops, discover how this initiative bridges cultural and generational gaps with curated experiences that resonate deeply. In this exclusive Q&A, Shaden shares her journey from corporate tech to building a community that thrives on connection, innovation, and shared joy. Dive into the story of The Nadi and the vision behind it! Interview edited by Omar Ramy, Staff Writer.

The Public Conversation

☕️ Mokhtar Alkhanshali delves into the spiritual death of the café in a thought-provoking piece that questions whether these cherished communal spaces are becoming commodified, sterile, and transactional. Have we traded authentic connection for convenience? Let us know your take, and read the full blog post for a deep dive into how our spaces shape us.

Global Spotlight

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💐 Air France has introduced its first signature home fragrance, AF001, crafted by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. This comforting musky scent, featuring mimosa, jasmine, and rose notes, will be gradually introduced at the entrances of select Air France lounges at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, serving as a welcoming gesture to enhance the passenger experience. The airline plans to extend the use of this fragrance to its other lounges worldwide in the coming months. The collaboration with the master perfumer reflects Air France’s focus on curating thoughtful, immersive experiences that resonate with its brand ethos. By leveraging the power of scent to create a welcoming ambiance, the airline is crafting a unique sensory touchpoint that deepens emotional connections with travelers and sets a new benchmark for premium hospitality in aviation.

🌀 Our Take: Your move, @egyptair ♟️

On Our Radar

📌 Abu Dhabi's first Public Art Biennial showcases a dynamic mix of installations, exhibitions, and performances across the city, celebrating creativity and accessibility in art for all.

📌 Phocuswright’s latest research highlights key data-driven insights and trends shaping the travel industry in 2025, including evolving traveler behavior, emerging technologies like GenAI, and strategic opportunities for growth. 

📌 UAE billionaire Mohamed Alabbar, founder of Emaar, has launched two bold challenges: crafting a marketing campaign to make Downtown Dubai the world’s top destination and devising solutions to tackle global housing shortages, offering a major reward or job contract for winning ideas.

📌 The Saudi Arabia-backed Professional Fighters League (PFL) plans to expand its mixed martial arts events into Dubai and Qatar, with intentions to also hold an event in Egypt, as part of its growth strategy after surpassing $100 million in revenue in 2024. 

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