Opinion Tourism Immersive storytelling, posh cuisine and branded flats: 2025’s hospitality trends Competitive pricing will become paramount as new supply enters the Gulf hospitality market Adaptability and innovation will be vital to maintaining the sector’s global appeal Carla Falcon, Managing consultant, PKF Hospitality
Opinion Lifestyle Dry January in Dubai – renew, reset and resist temptation After the punishing festive party season, Dry January in Dubai is a pleasure After the excesses of December, I found myself looking forward to eschewing alcohol Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Logistics Gulf logistics has much to be optimistic about in the year ahead Soaring ecommerce volumes will provide many opportunities in the Gulf in the year ahead A stable economy, supply chain integration and more domestic construction projects will drive growth John Manners-Bell, CEO, Transport Intelligence Insight
Opinion Banking and Finance Stable, if lacking excitement: the outlook for Gulf banks GCC banks will remain strong and profitable, but it will be some time before they are global players GCC banks are well capitalised, have low cost-to-income ratios and have been generating healthy profits Andrew Cunningham, Middle East banking consultant
Opinion Employment UAE and Saudi Arabia are magnets for global talent The UAE is increasingly seen as a 'life destination' rather than a short-term opportunity Recruiters say the region is attracting applications from global workers on an unprecedented scale Ian Giulianotti, Executive director, Nadia Global
Opinion Banking and Finance Despite ‘greenlash’, UAE banks will stick to net zero commitment It is possible to argue for oil and gas production while also investing in renewables US banks may have withdrawn from the Net Zero Banking Alliance, but FAB and ADCB should stay put Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Economy A roadmap for a new Syria A new Syria will have to be rebuilt from its foundations to undo 61 years of destruction The challenges are daunting and the stakes are high Nasser Saidi, Economist, Nasser Saidi and Associates
Opinion Tourism The future of Middle East tourism must be regenerative Projects across the Gulf show regenerative tourism is not just a concept but a transformative reality How can we shift from reducing harm to regenerating the environments on which we depend? Maryam Ficociello, Chief governance officer, Red Sea Global
Opinion Banking and Finance The rise of AI and the fall of cash: 5 banking trends for 2025 Will open banking threaten the dominance of the bigger banks in the GCC? It is likely Customers are becoming more demanding, tech is evolving and neobanks are disrupting the status quo Suvo Sarkar, CEO, 3D Advisory
Opinion Entrepreneurs Top Middle East startup trends for 2025 Fintech will reign supreme for investors, but expect consolidation as the market saturates Investors will continue to be hesitant, but funding activity is likely to pick up after the cut in US interest rates Triska Hamid, Angel investor
Opinion People & Lifestyle The marina walk bike ride – ‘Hell is other people’ The Marina Walk Bike Ride is ideal exercise – except for the people, dogs and e-scooters Cycling offers a perfect combination of exertion and time efficiency Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Agriculture Without Assad, Syria is ripe for a new crop of farming investment Syria presents a valuable farming opportunity following the collapse of the Assad regime Relying solely on international markets far away from home is risky Martin Keulertz, Lecturer, University of the West of England
Opinion Energy Something old, something new: GCC energy trends in 2025 Clever strategic joint ventures this year will keep GCC states at the front of the energy pack To avoid a 2008-style power crunch, every type of energy must be thrown into the mix Robin Mills, CEO, Qamar Energy
Opinion Aviation An ambitious year ahead for Gulf aviation Gulf aviation is constantly evolving – and 2025 could be one of its most exciting years New airlines, routes and aircraft will increase competition across the industry and widen consumer choice John Grant, Partner, Midas Aviation
Opinion Economy Gulf investors must look out for the American ‘bubble’ What happens in US financial markets should be a matter of concern, especially in the Gulf Trump's re-election has turbocharged US equities but his unpredictability adds to global risk factors Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Media & Advertising AI and authenticity will lead marketing trends in 2025 Marketers will turn from what AI can do on its own to what creative minds can do with it If human imagination is thrown into the mix, AI can be very creative Austyn Allison, Middle East advertising expert
Opinion Energy DP World, energy and AI: five predictions for 2025 Forecasting may be a mug’s game – but here are my predictions for 2025 Let the guessing game begin – but no promises... Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Aviation How to break the impasse that stops African airlines soaring African governments must end ground services monopolies and open their skies to competition The onerous taxes and fees in the aviation sector stem from charges set unilaterally by governments Liz Bains, Journalist
Opinion Business of Sport Riyadh will take a measured, domestic approach to its World Cup Saudi Arabia's World Cup 2034 will be framed in terms of what is best for the kingdom The sense that the 2034 tournament will be ‘by Saudis, for Saudis’ looms large Simon Chadwick, Professor of AfroEurasion sport
Opinion Economy The state of the Russian economy in 2025 should be a concern for the Gulf If Russia is headed towards long-term economic malaise, it has big repercussions for the 'neutral' Gulf Soaring defence expenditure means the Russian economy is overheating at a rapid rate Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
Opinion Banking and Finance Bridging the missing middle of Gulf startup funding The Gulf has posted record IPO volumes and is a bright spot in the global equity landscape As investment opportunities multiply, there will be increasing need for intermediate growth capital Andy Cairns, Head of MEA capital markets, Houlihan Lokey
Opinion Finance My humble submission for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize If my journalistic triumphs don’t earn me a Pulitzer nomination, I don’t know what will Our editor-at-large reviews his year in columns and finds his triumphs abound Frank Kane, Editor-at-Large, AGBI
