Oman’s hospitality sector demonstrated robust performance in the first nine months of 2025, supported by strong domestic and international demand. Airport traffic reached 11.2 million passengers, while guest volumes in 3-5 star hotels rose to 1.7 million, representing a 9% increase compared with the same period last year. Occupancy levels strengthened further, reaching 52.8%, a notable 13.1% growth over 2024, signalling that the market is effectively absorbing demand even during shoulder months. Meanwhile, average room rates (ARR) remained broadly stable, indicating that hotels are focusing on maximising occupancy and optimising inventory utilisation rather than pursuing aggressive rate increases to drive revenue growth.

Saudi Arabia's economy continued to deliver robust performance in 2025, with real GDP expanding by 4.3% in the first nine months of the year, driven primarily by the non-oil sector, which grew by 5.1% year on year. Reflecting this strong momentum, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised its 2025 growth forecast for the Kingdom upward to 4%, with a similar expansion projected for 2026.

Evidence for a hypothesis The idea that creativity flourishes in a crisis has some solid empirical support. The steam turbine, transformer, radio, and helicopters were all patented during Depressions and were turned into successful products during subsequent recovery periods. Various explanations of this phenomenon have been advanced, the most well-known of which has been Joseph Schumpeter’s theory of ‘creative destruction’, […]

Dubai's office market delivered a strong performance in Q3 2025, supported by robust economic fundamentals and ongoing business formation activities. Dubai Chamber of Commerce welcomed approximately 53,000 new member companies in the first nine months of 2025, up 4% year-on-year, and attracted 261 foreign companies, a 65.2% increase over the same period in 2024. This surge in business activity fuelled heightened demand for office space, with sales transactions reaching approximately 1,200, up 39.9% year-on-year, and transaction values climbing to AED 3.1 billion, reflecting 87.6% annual growth. The off-plan segment was the primary driver, with volumes rising 463.8% year-on-year.