We’re opening up The Dyorama—literally.

On Sunday, Nureen, Youssef, and I had one of our deep-dive sessions (fueled by big ideas and whatever counts as sleep these days) and came to a conclusion: it’s time to let you in.

The feedback? More than expected. The questions? Even more so. How do we juggle this with demanding 9-5s? What does “building at the intersection of hospitality, design, and experiences” actually mean? Where’s The Dyorama headed? And, of course, the occasional “You guys are making this up as you go, aren’t you?”

So, why not just bring you along for the ride? Consider yourselves unofficial shareholders (minus the dividends, unless moral support counts). We’ll be building in public—sharing the wins, the struggles, and the existential crises of scaling a homegrown media platform.

To kick things off, here’s a throwback to our December planning session, where we mapped out our social media archetypes:

• Nureen – The gluten-allergic, whimsical Editor-in-Chief.

• Youssef – The cutthroat consultant (who does, in fact, have a heart).

• Me – The bridge between creative concepts and business execution.

Head to our Instagram, check out our content, and tell us how we’re doing. Be honest—we can take it. After all, we’re millennials making content instead of just overanalyzing it for once.

Shoutout to Glisha Gleetus (Unifocus) and Nelson Riffard (IHG) for responding to my cold LinkedIn messages with insights way more constructive and supportive than expected. Thank you for being here.

So here we are: no filters, no corporate polish—just the raw, behind-the-scenes reality of building The Dyorama. Buckle up.

– Ali

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

Visual Vignette

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What if history’s greatest artists painted Ramadan in their signature styles? With AI, @creativedubai reimagines the Holy Month through the lens of iconic artistry, blending tradition with innovation to bring these timeless motifs to life.  Credit: @creativedubai, Instagram.

This Week’s Regional Curation

Fresh Takes: The Concepts and Trends to Watch This Week

🤝 ITB Berlin 2025 reaffirmed its status as the world’s leading travel trade show, with the Middle East making a strong impact through strategic partnerships and major industry showcases. The region had a strong presence, with key players like Visit Qatar, Jordan’s Tourism Board, and Emirates leveraging the event to showcase tourism advancements and solidify their global positioning. We’ll dive deeper into the region’s takeaways soon, but for now, here’s an important insight from the CEO of Turneo:

🦒 ​Giza Zoo and Orman Garden are set to reopen in September 2025 following extensive renovations aimed at transforming them into world-class attractions. The revitalized spaces will feature modernized animal enclosures, interactive exhibits, luxury glamping accommodations, and enhanced visitor amenities, all while preserving their rich historical and botanical heritage.

🌀 Our Take: When the Giza Zoo shut down, skepticism was high. Now? It’s shaping up to be one of Egypt’s boldest tourism revamps. As one of the world’s oldest zoos, its transformation blends heritage with high-end experiences, signaling a shift toward immersive, experience-driven tourism. The biggest twist? Luxury glamping inside a botanical and wildlife heritage site. Turning a day-trip attraction into an overnight stay is a major leap, but is it enough? With the region building futuristic, purpose-built destinations, can Giza Zoo stay relevant, or is it already playing catch-up?

🌇 Royal Group, a family-owned investment firm, has appointed Dubai’s Sunset Hospitality Group to manage its upcoming hotel located just off Singapore's Orchard Road. This collaboration marks Sunset Hospitality's inaugural venture into the Singaporean market, aiming to introduce their distinctive lifestyle and dining concepts to the city's vibrant hospitality scene.​

🌀 Our Take: Family offices are moving beyond owning hotels to choosing operators who can maximize asset value. With hotel investments delivering 8.8% average yields over the past decade, the focus is shifting to who can drive higher revenue per square foot. Sunset Hospitality’s rapid expansion reflects a broader trend—hospitality is no longer just about rooms but integrated lifestyle experiences that blend F&B, entertainment, and social-driven stays. For private investors, the operator is becoming as critical as the location. The real question: will more family offices ditch legacy brands for operators who know how to build demand, not just manage rooms?

🛍️ Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has launched Al Waha Duty-Free Company, the Kingdom's first domestically owned duty-free retail operator. Al Waha aims to establish luxury retail outlets at airports, land border crossings, and seaports, offering a diverse range of products—including premium Saudi goods—to enhance the travel retail sector and retain a greater share of passenger spending within the national economy.

🌀 Our Take: Saudi’s PIF is securing a stake in the $85 billion travel retail industry with Al Waha Duty Free. With a target of 150 million visitors by 2030, controlling airport and border retail is a strategic move to capture more tourism spending and reduce reliance on foreign operators. This expands PIF’s control over the tourism value chain, from infrastructure to visitor spending. The real question: Can Saudi turn duty-free into a destination in itself, or will it remain just another stop between security and the gate?

📉 On Monday, travel stocks saw a sharp decline, with Delta Air Lines dropping 11% and Airbnb falling over 5%, as major airlines cut earnings forecasts due to weakening travel demand. The selloff reflects broader concerns about a slowdown in global tourism, rising operational costs, and shifting consumer spending patterns across key markets.

🌀 Our Take: Travel stocks are crashing harder than a Trump press conference on the economy. Airlines are slashing forecasts, OTAs are under pressure, and Wall Street is acting like the entire industry just missed its connecting flight. We’re keeping an eye on how this plays out for the Middle East. No big claims yet, but with macro and geopolitical shifts hitting hard, aggressive tourism targets aren’t operating in a vacuum. Is this just turbulence, or a sign that the region needs to rethink its next phase of growth? Too soon to tell, but the next few months will be revealing.

Global Spotlight

🚐 minibar MIDORI is Tokyo’s first mobile listening bar, housed in a retrofitted British Mini 95L van designed for an audiophile-grade experience on the go. Originally a sustainable mobile workstation, its exceptional acoustics led to a transformation featuring vacuum tube amplifiers and a solar-powered sound system. Now cruising through Tokyo, it offers an intimate fusion of high-fidelity music and curated drinks, redefining the city’s listening culture.

Q&A Interview Profile

Transforming MENA Experiential Tourism: Q&A with Mostafa Attia on Seyaha’s Digitization of Experiences in the Region

In this exclusive interview, Mostafa Attia, founder of Seyaha,  shares how his company is revolutionizing the region’s tours and activities sector—empowering local tour operators, digitizing experiences, and unlocking new opportunities for travelers seeking more than just traditional sightseeing. From partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism to scaling across MENA, Attia reveals what it takes to build an ecosystem that blends technology, cultural authenticity, and economic impact. Read the full conversation to explore the future of travel in the region. Interview edited  by Omar Ramy, Staff Writer.

The Ramadan Edit

🌙 Mirbad returns for its 18th edition from March 6-10 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, embracing the theme “Mirbad: The Night and its Stars”—a celebration of old-school Egyptian cinema magic, luxe Ramadan vibes, and contemporary creativity. With live oud performances, candle-making workshops, henna artistry, an Oum Kalthoom hologram show, and over Dhs1 million raised for charity, this nostalgic yet modern experience blends culture, community, and giving back.

The Closing Bell

📜 ​​Somabay has partnered with Marriott International to introduce an Autograph Collection Hotels property, featuring 194 rooms, cabanas, and suites, all with sea views, and is scheduled to open in 2027.

📜 Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment is planning a $100 million funding round in the second half of 2025 to accelerate its mission of restoring and revitalizing historic buildings in downtown Cairo. The investment will support ongoing efforts to preserve the city's architectural heritage while transforming neglected spaces into vibrant cultural, commercial, and residential hubs.

📜 Accor, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company (ADTIC), is breaking ground today on the Sofitel Legend Pyramids Giza, set to open in late 2027 as the brand’s eighth global property and second in Egypt. Located near the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, the luxury hotel will feature 303 rooms and suites, multiple dining options, a spa, fitness center, and infinity pools, blending French elegance with Egypt’s iconic heritage.

On Our Radar

📌 A new report on hospitality tech trends for 2025 highlights how smart home technology, AI-driven energy management, and renewable energy amenities like EV chargers are reshaping guest experiences and operational efficiency.

📌 Oberoi Hotels & Resorts will introduce two luxury dahabeyas, Oberoi Melouk and Oberoi Malekat, on the Nile River in late 2025, each accommodating up to 14 guests in seven cabins and suites. These traditional wind-powered sailboats will offer four- and six-night itineraries between Luxor and Aswan, providing an intimate and upscale cruising experience. 

📌 ​Zegna is set to host its first runway show in Dubai this June, unveiling its latest collection at the newly established Villa Zegna, a space dedicated to showcasing the brand's heritage and contemporary designs.

📌 Morocco has secured a €781 million loan from France to purchase 18 high-speed Avelia Horizon trains from Alstom, aiming to extend its high-speed rail network from Kenitra to Marrakech ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal. These double-decker trains are part of Morocco's broader strategy to expand its rail network to serve 43 cities, covering 87% of the population by 2040.

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