Four villages from Türkiye have earned global recognition in the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Best Tourism Villages 2025 list, reaffirming the nation’s growing leadership in sustainable and rural tourism.

The honored locations — Akyaka in Muğla, Barbaros in İzmir, Anıtlı (also known as Hah) in Mardin’s Midyat district, and Kale Üçağız in Antalya — were selected for their heritage preservation, ecological awareness, and strong local involvement in tourism development.

Global Recognition for Rural Excellence

The UNWTO revealed this year’s winners at a ceremony held in Huzhou, China on October 17, 2025. The 2025 edition recognized 52 villages from 29 countries, chosen from over 270 applications submitted by 65 member states. An additional 20 villages were added to the Upgrade Programme, which helps promising destinations progress toward full recognition in future editions.

The four Turkish winners embody the program’s focus on how tourism can drive sustainable development, protect cultural heritage, and boost local economies. The UN initiative, now in its fifth year, evaluates candidate villages across nine key areas, including environmental management, economic sustainability, tourism integration, infrastructure, and cultural preservation.

Voices from Türkiye

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy congratulated the communities, calling them “symbols of Türkiye’s natural and cultural wealth.” He emphasized that rural tourism represents “not only an economic activity but also a force that protects our heritage, supports local development, and places people at the center”.

The minister credited local administrations, the Directorate of EU and Foreign Relations, and civil society partners for preparing detailed submissions that showcased each village’s heritage and community-driven sustainability plans.

Spotlight on the Turkish Winners

Each of the four selected villages highlights a unique aspect of Anatolia’s cultural mosaic:

1. Akyaka (Muğla): A picturesque coastal settlement on the Gulf of Gökova, known for its wooden architecture, slow-food culture, and eco-friendly tourism model that has earned it Cittaslow (slow city) status.
2. Barbaros (İzmir): A village celebrated for its traditional craft festivals, rural guesthouses, and initiatives empowering local women through tourism.
3. Anıtlı (Mardin): Also called Hah in Syriac, this ancient Christian village in Tur Abdin boasts historic monasteries and a living Assyrian cultural heritage dating back over 1,600 years.
4. Kale Üçağız (Antalya): Nestled on the Lycian coast, it features ancient ruins, protected marine ecosystems, and community-led efforts to regulate visitor flows while preserving the coastal environment.

Global Context

The Best Tourism Villages initiative was launched in 2021 to promote tourism as a force for rural development, safeguarding traditions while building future resilience. Since its inception, more than 300 villages globally have joined the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages Network, creating a global platform for knowledge exchange and sustainable development partnerships.​

Türkiye’s showing in the 2025 selection continues its strong participation in the program, following earlier wins by Göreme, Mustafapaşa, and Taraklı in previous editions. As the 2025 results reaffirm, Türkiye remains a global model for integrating sustainable tourism into community life while celebrating the deep cultural and natural richness that defines Anatolia.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim Region has expanded its air connectivity network to 18 domestic and international destinations served by 16 airlines, providing travelers with more options to destinations across Saudi Arabia and abroad.

Domestic destinations include Riyadh, Madinah, Jeddah, Dammam and Abha, while international services connect Qassim with cities including Kuwait, Cairo, Islamabad, Istanbul, Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Sohag, Multan, Khartoum and Giza.

Khartoum was recently added to the airport’s international network through Tarco Aviation, with one weekly one-way service.

The expansion reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Qassim’s international air connectivity, respond to growing passenger demand and provide travelers with broader and more convenient flight options.

The airport is also continuing to build partnerships with international airlines as part of efforts to enhance the passenger experience and support the wider development of Saudi Arabia’s aviation network

Source: SPA

Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) has awarded a contract to develop an automated people mover (APM) system for the first phase of Al Maktoum International Airport, creating what is expected to be the world’s largest airport transit system of its kind.

The contract was awarded to a consortium comprising Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), its Dubai-based subsidiary MHI Mobility Engineering Services (MHI-MESC), and Indian engineering group Larsen and Toubro (L&T).

The APM network will extend approximately 50 kilometers and connect nine stations, making it significantly larger than existing airport people-mover systems.

MHI and MHI-MESC will oversee the design, procurement and testing of 165 vehicles, as well as signaling technology and overall system integration. L&T will be responsible for designing, procuring, testing and constructing the remaining subsystems on site.

The project is scheduled for completion in December 2031.

The scale of Dubai’s planned system will surpass existing airport transit networks, including the approximately 8-kilometer Skylink at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and The Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The APM network will connect Al Maktoum International Airport’s terminals and key facilities, helping improve passenger movement, reduce transfer times and support efficient airport operations.

The project forms part of Dubai’s broader plans to develop Al Maktoum International into one of the world’s largest aviation hubs. The airport is targeted to begin operations in 2032 and is ultimately expected to handle up to 260 million passengers annually.

The planned expansion is designed to accommodate growing regional and international air traffic while strengthening Dubai’s position as a major global aviation hub.

Source: Khaleej Times

Skyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (SAHCO) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to improve the efficiency, security and smooth operation of airport and cargo activities.

The commitment was made during a SAHCO delegation’s visit to AC Adamu, the newly appointed Commander of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

The visit focused on building on the existing relationship between SAHCO and the NCS through stronger communication, closer coordination and enhanced operational cooperation, particularly in the handling and movement of cargo.

Representing SAHCO Managing Director and CEO Adenike Aboderin, General Manager of Cargo Services Donald Adekunle welcomed the new CIU commander and pledged the company’s continued support for a professional and productive partnership with the Customs Service.

Adekunle said closer cooperation between the two organizations would help strengthen airport operations and improve coordination among key aviation stakeholders and government agencies.

He also emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in facilitating efficient cargo movement, reinforcing security procedures and enhancing service delivery across Nigeria’s airports.

The renewed cooperation comes as aviation and government agencies continue to focus on improving cargo-handling processes and maintaining secure and efficient airport operations.

Source: ZAWYA

SHARJAH, UAE: Sharjah Airport has achieved Level 3 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI), marking another milestone in its efforts to strengthen passenger services.

The airport first received Level 1 accreditation in 2022 before advancing to Level 2 in 2023 after establishing and implementing a customer experience strategy across its departments. It renewed its Level 2 status in 2025 and progressed to Level 3 in 2026.

Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, said the latest accreditation reflected the airport’s focus on passenger satisfaction and its broader strategy to provide an integrated travel experience centered on quality and service excellence.

He said the achievement also supports Sharjah’s ambitions as a destination for travel, tourism and business.

According to Al Midfa, reaching Level 3 demonstrates the airport’s ability to collect and analyse passenger feedback and work with airport partners to turn that information into practical service improvements.

The accreditation assessment examined how the airport gathers and applies passenger feedback, coordinates with service providers and maintains a seamless passenger experience from arrival through departure.

As part of its progress toward Level 3, Sharjah Airport strengthened its customer feedback systems to better identify passenger expectations, pinpoint areas requiring improvement and respond more quickly to concerns.

The airport also increased coordination with airlines, ground-handling companies and other stakeholders to promote consistent service standards throughout the passenger journey.

Passenger satisfaction reports are now regularly distributed among airport departments, allowing teams to identify successful practices as well as areas requiring further attention. Employees across the airport community are also involved in improving passenger services, reinforcing shared responsibility for the overall travel experience.

ACI established its Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Programme to help airports assess and enhance passenger experience. The programme provides tools and expertise to help airports manage passenger journeys, develop improvement plans and identify opportunities to raise service quality.

Source: QCAA

DOHA, Qatar: Hamad International Airport (HIA) has reaffirmed its readiness to provide a smooth and comfortable arrival experience as passenger numbers increase in Doha following the summer holiday season.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the airport said it expects higher inbound traffic this August as students and families return ahead of the new academic year.

HIA has issued a series of guidelines designed to make arrival procedures easier and improve passenger convenience. Airport staff will remain available around the clock to assist travelers and their families, it said.

The guidance covers several aspects of the arrival process, including procedures for families traveling with young children and arrangements for meeting arriving passengers.

It also provides information on transportation options from the airport, including ride-hailing services, taxis, buses and the Doha Metro. Guidance on car rentals and baggage collection is also included.

The airport said the measures are intended to help passengers navigate the arrival process efficiently during the expected increase in traffic.

With August marking a key period for post-holiday travel, HIA is emphasizing operational preparedness and passenger support as more travelers return to Doha.

Source: QNA