Hospitality News
A Trip to the Titanic Wrecks: Five Lives at Stake in a Missing Submarine
Latest Updates
- Canadian search mission aircraft have recently detected banging noises from a location near the vicinity where the submarine was last seen.
- The search operators reported hearing the banging sound after every 30 minutes, but the source has yet to be found.
- There are 40 hours of oxygen remaining in the submersible, giving the rescuers less than two days to locate it.
What Is The Story Behind The Missing Titanic Submarine?
On Sunday, a submarine started its journey with five tourists towards the Titanic Wrecks, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The wrecks lie approximately 12,500 feet below the ocean’s surface. The submersible remained in direct contact with the Polar Prince, the support ship that transported it near the destination. After 1 hour and 45 minutes, the connection with the Polar Prince was lost.
The submersible is designed to accommodate up to five people at a time and provides 96 hours of oxygen. Currently, there are 40 hours of oxygen remaining, leaving the rescue operations less than two days to locate the missing submarine. Each person in the submersible paid a sum of $250,000 for one seat to embark on this unique journey and experience the Titanic wreck site.
Who Is On Board?
The submersible departed for the Titanic wrecks with 5 individuals on board:
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Hamish Harding
A 58-year-old businessman known for his involvement in numerous adventurous expeditions. He has previously traveled to space and has visited the South Pole multiple times.
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Paul Henry Nargeolet
A 77-year-old former French Navy diver who has explored the Titanic wrecks on multiple occasions. He was also part of the first expedition that visited the site in 1987.
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Stockton Rush
A 61-year-old CEO of OceanGate, the company responsible for manufacturing and operating the submersible. The missing submarine, Titan, is also manufactured by OceanGate.
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Shahzada Dawood
A 48-year-old Pakistani businessman belonging to one of the country’s wealthiest families. He is also a supporter of two charities founded by King Charles. According to sources, King Charles has requested timely updates on the mission from the rescue operators.
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Suleman Dawood
A 19-year-old student and the son of Shahzada Dawood. The father-son duo embarked on this journey to seek a new adventure.
What Is The Submersible Like From The Inside?
A submersible differs from a submarine in that it requires a support ship to launch it in the ocean. It also has limited reserves compared to a submarine and cannot remain underwater for extended periods. This submersible weighs around 25,000 pounds and has a titanium crew compartment.
The missing submersible, Titan, is equipped with basic emergency medical supplies and has 96 hours of oxygen for five people. The total size of the submersible is similar to a minivan. There is one toilet and there are no seats. All the passengers have to sit cross legged on the floor. For the view, there is only one porthole from where the passengers can view the site, apart from that there are no windows. The entire journey was expected to last 10-12 hours.
Who Owns The Submarine? Is It Safe For Such Operations?
The submersible is owned by OceanGate, a private company that provides submersible assets and crew members for research, commercial and military purposes. The company previously visited the Titanic wreck site in 2021 and 2022. Following two successful attempts, Titan was sent to the Titanic site again.
OceanGate has faced criticism in the past regarding deep-sea tourism. Two employees have also raised concerns about the safety of the submersible. The primary concerns revolve around the thickness of Titan’s hull, which could pose a significant challenge during rescue operations once it is located.
According to the company’s legal representative, OceanGate claims to have collaborated with the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory in building the vessel. However, university officials deny any involvement in the design, engineering, or testing of Titan.
How To Recover The Submarine Once Found?
Till now all the rescue operating companies have searched more than 10,000 miles. In this mission, the US Coast Guard, US Air Force, Canadian Military, US Navy, and Canadian Coast Guard, are working together. After the news break, France has also sent their research ships which has an underwater robot to help in this search. As per the reports, finding the submersible is just a first step. Rescuing it is another big challenge.
Hospitality
MENA Hospitality Market Value Set to Top US$487 Billion by 2032 Amid Unprecedented Tourism Expansion
The value of MENA’s hospitality market is set to grow from US$310 billion in 2025 to more than US$487 billion by 2032, according to data released ahead of the Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World, Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, 27-29 October.
The travel and tourism sector is projected to contribute US$367 billion to the Middle East economy and support 7.7 million jobs this year, says the World Travel and Tourism Council. International visitor spending is expected to reach nearly US$194 billion, up nearly a quarter from 2019, pre-pandemic levels, with domestic spending forecast to hit US$113 billion.
As of Q2 2025, the Middle East’s hotel construction pipeline reached an all-time high of 650 projects with 161,574 rooms. At the end of June, 337 projects, with almost 86,500 rooms, were under construction, with 147 projects due to start by Q2 2026.
Saudi Arabia tops the Middle Eastern hotel construction chart, with more than 92,000 rooms across 342 projects. Next is Egypt with 127 projects and a record-high room count of over 28,000, followed by the UAE with 100 projects (25,470 rooms); Oman with 27 projects (4,709 keys) and Qatar with 16 projects (nearly 3,500 rooms).
The unprecedented hospitality, tourism and infrastructure expansion reinforces the region’s position as a global magnet for investment, say experts.
Amr El Nady, Head of Hotels & Hospitality MEA and Managing Director, Global Hotel Desk at Jones Lang Lasalle, said: “Saudi Arabia is targeting 150 million tourist arrivals annually by 2030, while Egypt aims for 30 million international visitors by 2028. Both nations are seeking to significantly increase tourism’s contribution to their GDP, with KSA targeting 10% and Egypt 15%. This strategic focus is driving substantial hospitality investment, with mega-projects like NEOM, The Red Sea Project, and AlUla in KSA, alongside Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, Ras Al Hekma, South Med and Red Sea developments.
“The surge in development creates opportunities for both major international hotel operators and boutique brands to diversify their portfolios by introducing new concepts ranging from ultra-luxury desert resorts to culturally immersive heritage properties. The diversification strategy allows operators to cater to evolving traveller preferences while supporting the countries’ objectives of transforming their economies through sustainable tourism growth and positioning themselves as premier global destinations.”
JLL added that liquidity in the hotel investment landscape remains remarkably robust, underpinned by resilient hotel trading performance and increasing tourist arrivals. Performance data shows year on year growth in terms occupancy and ADR metrics, reflecting the sector’s operational strength and market confidence.
Amr El Nady added: “This strong performance has significantly enhanced appetite from regional and international investors – from high-net-worth individuals to institutional players – all seeking high-yielding, income-generating hotel assets and mixed-use developments, particularly across the UAE market. The region’s investment appeal continues to attract diverse capital sources drawn to its strategic positioning and growth potential.
“Last year, JLL forecasted US$1.2 billion in Dubai hotel transactions, and current market activity indicates we are on track to exceed this milestone, further demonstrating sustained investor confidence.”
In the UAE, Dubai’s hospitality sector – which has around 10,000 new rooms on the way between now and 2027 – continues to deliver an outstanding performance, according to the hospitality division at leading real estate advisory group and property consultant, Cavendish Maxwell.
“Occupancy levels rose to 81% in H1 2025, an increase of 2.5% year-on-year,” said Vidhi Shah, Director, Head of Commercial Valuation at Cavendish Maxwell. “Meanwhile ADR across Dubai’s hotels and resorts reached US$159, up 4.7%. With its hospitality sector continuing to lead the way in setting new benchmarks in safety, inclusivity and connectivity, Dubai remains a premium, global destination for leisure and business travellers, in turn opening up a plethora of new investment opportunities.”
Oman is also increasingly becoming a hot spot for hospitality investment, with tourism expected to contribute 5% to GDP by 2030 and 10% by 2040 – and overtake transport and logistics to become the country’s second most important industry after hydrocarbons.
Oman is set to boost hotel room inventory by 25% by 2030, with 9,600 new keys on the way in the next five years, and 2,600 by the end of 2025, recent insight from Cavendish Maxwell shows. In H1 this year, more than 1.1 million guests checked in to 3-5 hotels, where revenues rose more than 18% to US$367 million. The strong performance led to almost 5% growth in hospitality employment, with 10,800 people now working in the industry.
The Middle East’s continued growth in tourism and hospitality is being further boosted by various government campaigns and initiatives across the region to encourage investment, international visits and business set up.
In KSA, upcoming global events like Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034 are boosting already strong demand for real estate, including project in the hospitality sector. In addition, from January 2026, foreigners will be able to purchase real estate assets in designated zones – a landmark development set to further deepen investor appetite.
Investment and real estate is a key track at FHS World, with more than 30 presentations, panel debates, workshops and one-to-one conversations covering everything from smart capital to sustainability and investment, cross border strategies to building global partnerships, investing in mixed-use projects and much more. Visit futurehospitality.com/world/agenda for subjects and speakers across the three-day programme.
Hospitality
Viva Italia! Future Hospitality Summit World showcases Italy’s new golden age of tourism with exclusive Country Pavilion
The Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World is unveiling a wealth of investment opportunities in Italy’s hospitality sector, with an exclusive pavilion showcasing the country’s new golden age of tourism.
The Italy Pavilion, on show at FHS World, Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, 27-29 October, will highlight the growth, evolution and future goals of the country’s hospitality and tourism sector, which is gearing up for a surge in lifestyle and boutique developments, heritage renovations, wellness retreats and sustainability-focussed offerings over the next 3-5 years.
Investor confidence in Italy has been boosted by a robust rebound of international tourism, with record arrivals over the last two years. Overnight stays reached 458.4 million in 2024, with overseas visitors accounting for more than half of them, making Italy the second most popular tourism destination in Europe, after Spain. Italy is seeing the fastest growth among major European destinations.
Marco G. Malacrida, Italia Hospitality founder, said: “Italy’s incredible – and historic – hospitality sector performance last year has created a virtuous circle, with increased demand fueling more investment, which in turn enables Italy to offer increasingly sophisticated hospitality products. The country is seen as a safe haven for capital and a dynamic, growing market that delivers long-term returns, particularly in projects that focus on sustainability, innovation, and premium, experience-led tourism. At FHS World, we will showcase how strong tourism demand, high-spending visitors and year-round appeal – backed by a government and tourist board commitment to facilitate investment, promote sustainability and enhance infrastructure – make Italy a solid choice for investors looking to create financial returns and a cultural impact.”

While luxury remains a cornerstone of Italy’s hospitality and tourism sector, lifestyle hotels, resorts and unique offerings in emerging Italian destinations and lesser-known regions are seeing the most dynamic growth. Investors are discovering the potential of places beyond traditional destinations such Rome, Florence and Milan, and shifting their focus to regions from Abruzzo to Sicily, Puglia to Piedmont, and Umbria to the Dolomites. There is also huge potential in turning Italy’s historical villas, monasteries and palaces into hospitality icons, while adventure, sports, arts, music and gastronomy tourism are also expanding rapidly.
With investors and travellers increasingly favouring destinations that respect the environment, support local communities and create long term value, Italy is also spotlighting sustainability as a key pillar of its future tourism strategy.
Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of the Bench, organiser of FHS World, said: “Italy is open and ready for investment, and we are delighted to help facilitate that investment with our exclusive Italy Pavilion at FHS World. Demand, diversification and discovery in Italy’s hospitality and tourism sector are creating exciting opportunities to become part of the country’s future – and to play a role in realising the country’s economic, tourism and sustainability goals. Viva Italia!”
The FHS World Italy Pavilion is one of four country-focused stands at the event, with the Maldives, Albania and the Philippines also featured.
Visit futurehospitality.com/world/country-pavilions for more details, and Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) | Homepage for all things FHS World.
Hospitality
NANDO’S UAE JUST GOT SAUCIER WITH NEW WINGS AND BOTTOMLESS TUESDAYS!
There’s something new on the grill at Nando’s UAE, and it’s set to turn up the flavour. The brand has unveiled its all-new Saucy Wings, available in two bold flavours, Honey & Soy and Spicy Brown Sugar, bringing a fresh twist and a little extra fun to Nando’s flame-grilled classics. Launching alongside is Bottomless Wing Tuesdays, a new midweek ritual that invites guests to add unlimited wings, and unlimited flavour, to their week.
The new Saucy Wings take a familiar favourite and turn it up a notch. Honey & Soy glazes each wing in smooth, savoury sweetness, while Spicy Brown Sugar delivers deeper caramelised heat with a gentle kick. Both are flame-grilled to perfection, coated generously, and made for sharing, comfort food that’s simple, bold, and unmistakably Nando’s.
Every Tuesday from 11 AM to 6 PM, diners can dig into Bottomless Wing Tuesdays and enjoy unlimited wings for one hour at AED 80. Running for a limited time from October 21st to November 18th, it’s perfect for flavourful catch-ups and easy midweek gatherings – turning an ordinary lunch or early dinner into something worth talking about.
“We wanted to bring something new, but in a way that still feels unmistakably Nando’s,” says George Kunnapally, Managing Director at Nando’s UAE. “Saucy Wings take something everyone already loves and give it a fresh twist – familiar, but more expressive. And with Bottomless Tuesdays, we’re creating an experience that’s all about sharing good food, good flavour, and a bit of fun.”
With its flame-grilled roots and unmistakable PERi-PERi spirit, Nando’s continues to evolve its menu while staying true to what it does best, food that’s honest, flavourful, and made to share.
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