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Business travel in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is recovering more rapidly than in any other region, according to the most recent Business Travel Index™ Outlook annual forecast and outlook (2022), from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s largest business travel association. MEA business travel achieved 86% of its 2019 levels during 2022, outperforming the recovery in Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.
The strong performance of the sector and future opportunities will come under the spotlight during Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 1-4 May.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The business travel sector is a key component of the Middle East’s wider travel and tourism industry, and it is encouraging to see that it has bounced back so strongly since the pandemic. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will present an in-depth analysis of how technology can support this return to travel and the ways in which this can be done sustainably in two education sessions with key insights from leading industry professionals.”
According to the forecast, business travel spending reached $933 billion globally in 2022, 65% of the USD $1.4 trillion business pre-pandemic travel spend, with the MEA region accounting for $23 billion or approximately 2.5% of overall spending within the sector.

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Dubai Metro Music Festival wraps up its third edition

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The third edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival came to a successful close last night after a week-long celebration of global music that saw five metro stations in Dubai transformed into stages for live musical performancesThe Festival was organised by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The Dubai Metro Music Festival was held from 6-12 March across five Dubai Metro Stations: Union, Mall of Emirates, Burjuman, Dubai Financial Centre, and Sobha Realty. More than 800,000 commuters who visited the five metro stations over the week-long festival were treated to captivating musical performances by 20 local, regional, and international musicians representing unique sparks of creative talent in a wide range of instruments, genres, and styles.
The Festival garnered extensive media coverage with 750 local and international news reports highlighting its activities. In addition, more than 1,000 social media posts related to the Festival witnessed significant online engagement, with a combined reach of more than 136 million followers across various social media platforms.
From traditional to experimental musicians, classical instrumentalists to fusion musicians, the Festival featured a mix of artists from Egypt, India, France, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Cuba, the United Kingdom, Lebanon, Canada, Netherlands, Jordan, and Australia, besides the UAE.
This year’s Festival was dedicated to the theme of sustainability in line with the UAE’s announcement of 2023 as the ‘Year of Sustainability’. As part of the festival, several musicians showcased their talents using instruments made from recycled materials, adding a distinctive touch to their performances. This creative approach helped raise awareness about sustainability and highlighted the importance of using eco-friendly materials.ADVERTISEMENTThe festival is aligned with the RTA’s vision to become a global leader in seamless and sustainable mobility. Rowdah Al Mehrizi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication Department at RTA, confirmed that this year’s festival successfully achieved its goals of raising awareness about environmental protection and promoting ways to preserve natural resources.
She highlighted that the festival played a significant role in spreading awareness and encouraging community engagement. The Dubai Metro stations that hosted the festival transformed into lively hubs of art and music, attracting a considerable turnout throughout the week. Residents and visitors interacted with the activities with great enthusiasm and joy.
Al Mehrizi said: “At RTA, we aim to provide a unique experience for riding the Dubai Metro. The Festival’s interactive and contemporary approach helped draw attention to sustainability issues in a unique way thanks to the popularity of the Dubai Metro.” She noted that the number of
Dubai Metro users reached 225.1 million in 2022, making up the largest proportion of mass transit, shared transportation, and taxi users in Dubai, at 36% compared to 33% in 2021.
Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, said: “As a platform for exceptional creative talent from around the globe, the Dubai Metro Music Festival highlights the richness of Dubai’s creative dynamism. The success of the Festival is a testament to Dubai’s vibrant arts and cultural diversity and its position as a leading global cultural hub. It is an honour to orchestrate the convergence of brilliant musicians that led to the transformation of Dubai’s public spaces into immersive art experiences that delight and inspire residents and visitors alike.
“Brand Dubai is proud to have been a part of this exciting initiative, which has not only provided a platform for talented artists to showcase their creativity but has also reinforced Dubai’s image as a city that values and celebrates art and culture. Through such initiatives, Brand Dubai will continue to showcase the city’s growing stature as a cultural hub and a melting pot of diverse artistic expressions.”
On behalf of Brand Dubai, Al Suwaidi expressed their gratitude to the RTA and all the performers, partners, and audiences who made the Festival a great success. “We are delighted with the success of the third edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the RTA, our talented performers, dedicated partners, and the enthusiastic audiences who made this event such a resounding success,” said Al Suwaidi.
The Dubai Metro Music Festival was a key event highlighted in the latest #DubaiDestinations campaign, which invited residents and visitors to explore Dubai’s diverse art and cultural experiences during the #DubaiArtSeason. The Festival showcased Dubai’s cosmopolitan spirit and creative vibrance and contributed to the city’s vision of becoming one of the world’s best cities to live and visit.
An eclectic set of artists
The Festival featured a variety of instruments, including the Qanun, piano, flute, oud, drums, saxophone, Santur, guitar, harmonica, electric guitar, hand pans, and homemade instruments. The
public was able to watch the live performances from 4 pm to 10 pm every day, with all the performances rotated across the duration of the festival to cover all five metro stations.

Among the international artists that enthralled Dubai Metro commuters with their performances during the third edition of the Festival was Divyansh Kacholia, India’s first folk beatboxer, who wowed the audience with his amazing beatboxing skills. British singer/saxophonist & songwriter Kerrie Stirling demonstrated her drive, energy, professionalism, and versatile repertoire, delivering 5-star performances for commuters.
Faraz Ahmad, a Pakistani flautist and music producer, captivated Dubai Metro commuters with his enchanting flute performances. Sagar Patil, a music composer, multi-instrumentalist, and professional HandPan player from India, charmed the audience with his captivating solo percussion performances. Dutch musician, composer, performer, online educator, and university lecturer Boris Mogilevski delighted Dubai commuters with his outstanding ukulele skills.
Cuban Ernesto Vidal, a professional drummer, percussionist, and singer, fascinated the audience with various genres, from gospel to rock, polka, jazz, Arab styles, and ballads. John Buttigieg, a guitarist hailing from Far North Queensland who discovered his passion for playing the guitar at the age of 10, challenged himself by playing both his 6-string and 12-string guitar simultaneously during his performances. A professional harmonica player from Jordan, Radi Saiqalli mesmerised audiences with his unique compositions blending harmonica and beatbox.
Alesya Kudina, a multifaceted artist, pianist, composer, DJ and producer, used different keyboards, analogue and midi sounds during her live performances to create new versions of known tracks with additional soft vocals. Anetta Morozova, a creative multi-instrumentalist and world ambassador of Gaia Meditation with deep classical and jazz background, fascinated Dubai commuters with her never-before-seen technique of vertical flute playing, which she claims to have invented as a teenager.
Lara Zaid, a poet and musician from Iraq and Canada, captivated Dubai commuters by playing the Qanun. She was the youngest member of the Firdaus Orchestra, the official orchestra of Expo 2020 Dubai. Marcel Ghrayeb, a Lebanese music performer and composer, brought a taste
of an electro-oriented mood to the Metro stations by playing the Santur, an ancient instrument, in his distinct style.
DJ Michelle, the youngest DJ in the Middle East, enchanted commuters with her impressive turntable skills and high-energy beats. As a child turntable celebrity and top entertainment influencer, Michelle has become a social media sensation with a community of over 500K followers and has performed on big stages and festivals worldwide, representing UAE at the world championships.
The Festival

The Dubai Metro Music Festival is an annual event in Dubai that brings together musicians from different countries and genres to perform at various metro stations across the city. The Festival has gained immense popularity among Dubai residents and tourists. The Dubai Metro Music Festival aims to promote music and cultural exchange, as well as to showcase the talents of local and international musicians. The Festival provides a unique platform for musicians to reach out to a diverse audience and for commuters to enjoy live music during their daily commute.
The Festival also supports Dubai’s vision of becoming a global cultural hub, as it brings together musicians and music enthusiasts from around the world. It serves as an opportunity for people to experience different musical styles and traditions, and to learn about different cultures through music. The Festival is an important event in Dubai’s rich cultural calendar for promoting cultural exchange and supporting the development of the music industry. It is also a fun and unique experience for the city’s residents and visitors to enjoy live music performances in a novel setting.

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Qatar Museums today announced the program for the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture, which will feature a host of performances, exhibitions, sporting and culinary events, photography projects, residency and volunteer programs, and more. Inaugurated in 2012 by QM Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Years of Culture initiative is an annual bilateral exchange that deepens the understanding between Qatar and another nation and its people through a year of cultural programming.
In a special focus this year based on Qatar’s experience in developing its creative and cultural economy, the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture will include an emphasis on projects that will enhance the creative and cultural industries in both countries with a focus on sustainable, long-term partnerships. In Qatar, Qatar Museums has been at the center of building the country’s cultural infrastructure, opening new possibilities for the nation’s people and economy by nurturing the creative and cultural industries, which make up an ever-larger portion of the global GDP. This sector represents an especially strategic investment for emerging economies such as that of Indonesia, where the creative and cultural economy already accounts for 7% of the country’s GDP and is expected to grow, according to the Indonesian Agency for the Creative Economy.
Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said, “This year for Qatar Years of Culture we turn our eyes east toward Indonesia, a vast nation whose vivid, multilayered culture has been born of many centuries of global crosscurrents. There is much that our two nations can recognize in one another, including our role in the Muslim world, and much that we share. We look forward to an exciting year of cultural exchanges, in which we both continue to develop our burgeoning creative and cultural industries.”
His Excellency Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar Ridwan Hassan said, “Indonesia and Qatar have enjoyed excellent relations based on common faith and mutual interests. Today, our world needs such multilateral cooperation more than ever and it begins with empowering our people to interact, learn and celebrate each other. This is why Years of Culture programs are crucial to strengthening ties between nations. Indonesia welcomes the opportunity to celebrate our robust partnership with Qatar through the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture.”
Aisha Ghanem Al Attiya, Director of Cultural Diplomacy for Qatar Museums, said, “The Indonesian national motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, Unity in Diversity, perfectly expresses the spirit of the Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture. Through our many programs, to be held in both nations, we will weave together a tapestry of relationships that are as varied as they are strong and resilient.”ADVERTISEMENTNew Southeast Asia Galleries Open at MIA as Part of Official Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Opening
The year officially kicked off with a reception at the Museum of Islamic Art, which houses a spectacular collection of Indonesian artefacts in new galleries dedicated to Southeast Asia (17 and 18). The galleries will open to the public today (March 12).
The galleries remind visitors that the region today is home to the largest Muslim community worldwide, highlighting the connection between different cultures through exhibits on the trade of commodities and the exchange of ideas across the Islamic World and beyond. Displays feature beautiful Indonesian gold jewelry and textiles.
MIA Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr explained that: “At MIA, we tell the story of the spread of Islam around the world and its influence on art and culture. The new MIA makes that story complete with the addition of galleries on the Indian Ocean region and Southeast Asia.”
Showcasing Shared Passions and Traditions
Ramadan will offer an opportunity to embark on special culinary journeys in both countries. Indonesian chefs will infuse traditional ingredients into menus of several restaurants in Qatar during Ramadan, while special culinary demonstrations will take place at the Qatar International Food Festival. At the same time, Qatari cuisine and traditional celebrations like Garangao will make their way to Indonesia. Collaboration around the shared passion for food will continue over the summer when two Qatari and Indonesian chefs travel across Indonesia on a culinary journey.
The Years of Culture has also partnered with Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) to organize a volunteer trip for a group of young people from Qatar to work with school children in Indonesia.
A special theatrical presentation of HAYATI (Tree of Life): Searching for The Essence of Love, organized and presented by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. Created especially for this Year of Culture will be presenting in Qatar this year. The production will be a visually stunning exploration of the ties between personal identity and cultural traditions.
In Indonesia, participants from both nations will join in a cycling tour to the world’s largest Buddhist temple in Borobudur, located in Central Java. The tour will culminate with a festive dinner and the presentation of a traditional Qatari performance, highlighting the shared passion of the two cultures for sport, cuisine, and the performing arts.
The longest-running exchange program of the Qatar Years of Culture program, the Photography Journey, will be organized this year with the support of the Jakarta International Photography Festival (JIPFEST). A pair of Qatari and Indonesian photographers will capture images of traditional practices, documenting and preserving intangible cultural heritage in both countries. An exhibition of photographs by the participants will be presented in Qatar and Indonesia later in the year.
In the fall of 2023, the Years of Culture team is set to organize a cultural extravaganza in Qatar celebrating shared traditions of craftsmanship and hospitality. Major events will celebrate vibrant cultural traditions in both Qatar and Indonesia during the Workshop Month (September), a special exhibition celebrating the two nations’ shared appreciation for the rituals of hospitality and coffee-making at the National Museum of Qatar (October), participation in the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (October) and the return of the annual Cultural Festival at Flag Plaza celebrating Indonesia as this year’s partner (November), as well as film screenings in both countries.
Amplifying the Emerging Artistic Voices of Qatar and Indonesia
The year’s special emphasis of fostering the creative and cultural industries will be carried out through three-month-long residency programs, pairing Qatari and Indonesian designers to encourage direct engagement between emerging talent from both countries. These collaborative residencies will provide opportunities for Qatari product and fashion designers to discover traditional Indonesian craftsmanship from local masters in jewelry design and metalworking and embroidery. Mentors and locations were carefully selected from regions of Indonesia best known for these specific areas of expertise: Tasikmalaya (embroidery) and Sumba (metal ornamentation).
Each residency will challenge participants to consider issues of waste management and sustainability in their choice of materials and designs.
Final products will be introduced at prestigious festivals celebrating Indonesian culture and design, including the Indonesian Contemporary Art and Design (ICAD) festival in October-November 2023, Jakarta Fashion Week in October 2023, as well as a monumental year-end exhibition at the National Gallery in Indonesia.
Artworks by some of Qatar’s brightest emerging contemporary artists will travel to Indonesia as part of the ARTJOG 2023 festival, which asks participating artists to reveal the intent and motivation behind their work through various interactions, discussions, and silahturahmi (a concept based on Islamic practices about keeping or mending ties between family or kin adopted by Muslin communities in Indonesia) with artists.
Additional community events and celebrations will be announced throughout the year on Years of Culture social media pages and website at yearsofculture.qa
About Years of Culture
Culture is one of the most effective tools to bring people closer together, encourage dialogue, and deepen understanding between nations.
Under the leadership of its Chairperson Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums (QM) developed the annual “Years of Culture” initiative – an international cultural exchange that deepens understanding between nations and their people. Though formal programming lasts only one year, the ties of friendship that are strengthened and formed are long-lasting.
Qatar-Indonesia 2023 Year of Culture has been developed in collaboration with leading organizations in Qatar, including Doha Film Institute, Education Above All, Katara Cultural Village, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar Charity, Qatar Cycling Federation, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, Qatar National Library, Qatar Tourism, with assistance from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Qatar and the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Indonesia.
Previous Years of Culture have included: Qatar-Japan 2012, Qatar-UK 2013, Qatar-Brazil 2014, Qatar-Türkiye 2015, Qatar-China 2016, Qatar-Germany 2017, Qatar-Russia 2018, Qatar-India 2019, Qatar-France 2020, and Qatar-USA 2021. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the 2022 Year of Culture celebrated the entire Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region as Qatar welcomed the world for the Arab region’s first FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
Past sponsors include Qatar Airways, Vodafone, Qatar Gas, Shell, Ooredoo, Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts, Lulu Group International, Qatar Financial Centre, Qatar Petroleum, and ExxonMobil.

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AlUla, the ancient crossroads of civilisations in north-west Arabia that is now emerging as a global destination for cultural and natural heritage, will be the site of the first-ever in-person meeting of representatives of the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO.The villages, including AlUla Old Town District were recognised in December as part of UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative, “recognises villages that are an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with accredited cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products, and lifestyle and have a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects – economic, social, and environmental.”
UNWTO have organised the first iteration of the Best Tourism Villages Award Ceremony and meeting of the BTV Network in AlUla on March 12-13. The event will be a forum for knowledge-sharing on topics such as best practices, community empowerment, and public-private partnerships. It will also review the programme’s 2022 activities and 2023 work plan.
Delegates originating from Switzerland to Vietnam will gather at AlUla’s Maraya multi-purpose venue, which holds the Guinness record as the world’s largest mirror-clad building, with mirrors covering its 9,740 sqm surface. The UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, is expected to attend.
The BTV programme aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to triple tourism’s share of the national economy to 10%. In 2019 Saudi Arabia introduced eVisas for citizens of 49 countries, and this February the Kingdom introduced a 96-hour stopover visa.
ADVERTISEMENTFor the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) the gathering affirms AlUla’s legacy as a cultural crossroads. A place of collaboration and cultural exchange for a millennia, there is a natural synergy between the destination and the UNWTO’s BTV programme. The inclusion of AlUla on the 2022 list is an accolade in support of RCU’s careful regeneration, cultural rejuvenation, and curated redevelopment of heritage destinations. RCU is honoured not only by AlUla’s inclusion as a BTV but by its selection as host of this inaugural BTV global gathering.
HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, said: “The Ministry is proud to partner with UNWTO to host the Best Tourism Villages 2022 Awards Ceremony and jointly convene the first meeting of the BTV Network in the historic destination of AlUla, one of the villages across the globe recognised for its innovative approach to transforming the tourism sector.”
Mr. Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO, said: “For rural communities everywhere, tourism can be a true gamechanger in providing jobs, supporting local businesses and keeping traditions alive. The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO showcase the power of the sector to drive economic diversification and create opportunities for all outside of big cities.”
Eng. Amr AlMadani, CEO of RCU, said: “This gathering of the world’s best tourism villages serves several purposes for RCU: it allows us to share insights with destinations that share our commitment to sustainable regeneration, it showcases Maraya as a leading venue for conferences. It also provides our guests with the opportunity to visit AlUla, including the remarkable site of Hegra, which in 2008 was inscribed as Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
The complete list of Best Tourism Villages 2022 can be read here: www.unwto.org/news/best-tourism-villages-of-2022-named-by-unwto
Tune into the event through the official livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/32ecVh7kzkE

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