Middle East Sunday Pages Blog

If you are serious about Gulf markets, Doha deserves a place at the top of your list. Not because it is the loudest city in the region. Because it is one of the smartest.

AlUla is not a resort. It is not a side project. It is not another flashy giga-project headline that disappears when oil prices shift. AlUla is a deliberate, long-term, multi-billion-dollar statement about what Saudi Arabia intends to become — and if you are doing business in the Kingdom right now, or planning to, you need to understand what is happening there and why it matters to you.

While Western professionals pause Gulf strategies over regional conflict, Oman is quietly activating new trade corridors, advancing infrastructure projects, and positioning itself as the region's most stable business hub. Here's what you need to know.

Gulf Business Calendar 2026: Key Dates Every Western Professional Must Know Meta Description: Ramadan, Eid, national holidays, trade show season — the Gulf business calendar is nothing like yours. Here's every date that will make or break your deals in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.

Discover the 10 everyday words and phrases Western professionals use that cause confusion, offence, and lost deals in Gulf business culture — and what to say instead.

Scrambling to figure out Eid etiquette before you embarrass yourself in the Gulf? Here's exactly what to say, do, and avoid — so you look like someone who actually belongs here.

When you reach out during tense times and crisis moments, it is remembered. Not as a business move. Not as networking. Not as strategy. As humanity.

Iftar is not just a meal at the end of a day during Ramadan. It is about reflection, restraint and intention. Even if you are not fasting, you are stepping into a moment that holds spiritual meaning.

Ramadan is not a slowdown. It is a refinement. And the professionals who understand refinement always outlast those who chase speed.