Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Al Rehla newspaper announced the launch of the second session of the Alrehla Golden Awards 2026, on September 14, in the presence of an elite group of leaders, decision-makers, ministers of tourism, heads of bodies, and influential figures in the sectors of tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation, entertainment, media, and culture.

The ceremony will be held at the Arjaan Rotana Hotel - Skylight Hall, in conjunction with the activities of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, bringing together under one umbrella a group of the most prominent names, destinations and institutions active in the tourism industry regionally and internationally.

The second session comes as an extension of the success of the first edition, within a vision that aims to build a specialized Arab platform to honor entities and personalities that have made a real impact in the sector and contributed to developing the traveler’s experience, raising the competitiveness of destinations, and promoting innovation and sustainability.

“Golden Flag” is at the top of the awards

The “Golden Flight Awards 2026” includes a group of categories that cover various areas of the travel industry, led by the “Golden Flag Award” as the main and most prestigious award, along with the “Golden Destination Award”, “The World Compass”, “The Pulse of Cities”, “Hospitality Makers”, “The Hospitality Crown”, “Business Address”, “World Haven”, “Sky Bridge”, and “Sound of Journey”. “Leader of Tourism Impact,” “Throne of Entertainment,” and “New Hospitality Legacy.”

The awards philosophy is based on evaluating impact, leadership, innovation, quality of experience, sustainability and international presence, with a focus on the long-term value that the nominee leaves in the sector, beyond the size of the organization or brand recognition alone.

Dr. Saleh Al-Makhdoum, General Manager of Al-Rehla, said that the awards represent an extension of the newspaper’s vision of building bridges between different tourism markets, explaining that the international “Al-Rehla” network works to monitor experiences and stories that deserve to be reached by the Arab and international audience.

He added that the second session brings greater responsibility with the expansion of international participation and attendance, stressing that the goal is to transform the awards into an annual platform that brings together leaders, destinations and institutions that provide real value and leave an impact that goes beyond a tourist season or a promotional campaign.

An Arab platform that goes beyond the concept of honor

For his part, Mahmoud Al-Jishi, editor-in-chief of Al-Rahla newspaper, said: “Our goal when launching the awards was not to add a new honoring ceremony to the sector’s agenda, but rather to build an Arab platform that gives appreciation to those who make a real impact in the tourism industry.”

The “Golden Flag” award has a special status, as it is given to individuals, institutions and initiatives that have an exceptional impact on tourism, culture and communication between communities, while the “Golden Destination” celebrates destinations that offer an integrated model that combines identity, quality of experience, infrastructure, sustainability and international presence.

Al Rehla is headquartered in the UAE and operates through a network of eight offices around the world. The September 14 ceremony is expected to witness the unveiling of the winners in various categories, leading to the announcement of the winners of the two main awards, “Golden Destination” and “Golden Flag.”