CT Insight Report: What’s new in the UK?

The United Kingdom continues to be a key destination for GCC tourists, ranking fifth in the 2026 Connecting Travel Insight Report. The findings draw on data from travel analytics firms RateHawk and Emerging Travel Group, outlining the top 10 outbound markets for regional travellers. 

New routes between the two regions are driving westward demand, with Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air among the latest carriers to launch non-stop flights to London Heathrow. The UK’s accommodation sector is also expanding, with several new international entrants, including UAE-based hospitality group JA Resorts & Hotels, which has acquired two new properties: Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort in Glasglow and The Bruntsfield in Edinburgh. 

RELATED:

First Look: Six Senses London

UK’s Thomas Cook launches Saudi Arabia package holidays

Ennismore signs 2 Delano hotels in London and New York

London is set to lead Europe for hotel openings in 2026, with 5,822 new rooms, according to CoStar data. At least 10 five‐star properties will open in Q1, including UK debuts from St Regis, Delano, Six Senses and Waldorf Astoria, the latter adding 100 rooms within the Grade I‐listed Admiralty Arch, complete with a rooftop café overlooking Buckingham Palace.

Visitors can enjoy fresh attractions, from Paw Patrol Land at Chessington and the country’s tallest ride, Gyro Swing, in Blackpool to the new London Museum in Smithfield’s former meat market and Summit, the UK’s highest roof walk atop Alexandra Palace. Gordon Ramsay’s immersive dining experience, Hell’s Kitchen, inspired by the hit TV show, will open at The Cumberland Hotel.