Global Scans · Travel · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: How we travel, where we travel and whether we travel at all will mean tremendous change in the decades ahead.

• [New] Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has earmarked $65 billion for healthcare transformation, while the UAE is emerging as a global medical tourism hub, expected to welcome 500,000+ health travelers annually by 2025. ETHealthworld.com
• [New] Qatar Diar, a subsidiary of Qatar sovereign wealth fund, will invest USD3.5bn in a major tourism and real estate project along Egypt's Mediterranean coastline, marking another wave of Gulf support for Egypt's economic recovery. MUFG Research
• [New] The global air travel demand is projected to double by 2037, creating a substantial need for new aircraft and replacement parts. Precedence Research
• [New] While religious tourism remains at the core of its tourism agenda, developing more diverse and affordable tourism products will be essential for Saudi to achieve its ambitious 150-million-visitor target by 2030. Nasser Saidi & Associates
• [New] The contract, worth around SFr2 billion, covers up to 200 double-deck electric multiple-units designed for both commuter and leisure travel, with the first trains expected in service by the early 2030s. / Switzerland Azat TV
• [New] Bihar will soon be identified as a food processing powerhouse and an IT, textile and tourism hub. The Times Of India
• [New] Chinese air-taxi pioneer EHang has announced plans to commence commercial air taxi services from base airports across China within the next three years, with fares expected to start at approximately $28 per trip. eplaneai
• [New] The rise in winter tourism is expected to have a lasting impact on both domestic and global travel markets. Travel And Tour World
• [New] More tourist trains, buses, and even cars will adopt hydrogen power, reducing the carbon footprint of China's tourism industry. Travel And Tour World
• [New] The UAE is set to transform travel with the Etihad Rail passenger service launching in 2026, followed by an exclusive luxury train experience in 2028, promising unmatched elegance and comfort. Travel And Tour World
• [New] Slated to begin operations in 2028, the luxury trains will travel from Fujairah on the UAE's eastern coast to the Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi. Travel And Tour World
• [New] Aviation hubs such as London, New York, and Singapore could be connected in previously unthinkable timeframes, transforming business travel and premium leisure segments. Aviation a2z
• [New] Passenger flights are expected within 2026, and commercial service will follow soon thereafter - making quiet, zero-emission air travel as routine as hailing an Uber. New York Post
• [New] A supersonic jet plane designed to make very little noise took flight for the first time last week, cruising over the southern California desert just after sunrise in what could be the first step toward much faster commercial travel. The Washington Times
• [New] The X-59's success could ultimately make faster-than-sound travel a reality for future generations, revolutionizing the way people travel around the world. Travel And Tour World
• [New] The high-speed rail plan would more than halve travel time between cities like Madrid and Lisbon by 2040. Clean Energy Wire
• [New] To further improve the quality of travel by train, a startup company from Berlin called Nox is designing a futuristic sleeper train that will connect an impressive 100 European cities and will even offer fully private rooms. El Diario 24
• [New] Industry analysts expect American's A321XLR utilization to enhance visitor accessibility to secondary European tourism destinations, promoting regions such as the Iberian Peninsula, Ireland, and the Mediterranean as attractive options for both American and international travelers. Travel And Tour World

Last updated: 15 November 2025