Good morning. The storm is finally breaking. A US-Iran peace deal is breathing life back into the UAE’s battered tourism sector, with hoteliers eyeing recovery by late 2026. The geopolitical thaw is welcome news for Wynn Al Marjan Island; despite a modest delay from shipping headaches, the $5.1 billion project is pressing on toward its 2027 debut. Meanwhile in the Philippines, analysts note that while Okada Manila is drawing larger crowds, plunging revenue per head exposes softer spending and mounting monetization hurdles.
What you need to know
- UAE hotels are eyeing a gradual rebound by late 2026, while Wynn Al Marjan Island remains broadly on track despite a modest delay.
- Okada Manila’s visitor numbers have recovered, but Shared Research says revenue per visitor has fallen as higher footfall fails to lift spending.
On the radar
- Lance Gokongwei set to invest $32.5M in PhilWeb: report.
- Macau hotel room rates soften in May despite occupancy above 90%.
- Cambodia’s Hun Sen to visit China from June 25th to 27th.
- Isle of Man submits AML/CFT effectiveness filing to MONEYVAL.
- Japan warns over fake MGM Osaka casino websites targeting local players.
AGB Intelligence
UAE
UAE hotels eye late-2026 recovery as Wynn Al Marjan stays on track
UAE hotel operators expect tourism demand to recover gradually by late 2026 or early 2027, supported by a preliminary US-Iran agreement and the lifting of a UK travel warning. The rebound follows a sharp downturn in Dubai occupancy earlier this year. Wynn Al Marjan Island is also seen as a longer-term catalyst for Ras Al Khaimah, with Wynn Resorts maintaining that the project remains broadly on track for a 2027 opening despite confirming a modest delay last month.
Industry Updates
- SJM becomes Macau’s first member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
- SOFTSWISS Tech Race Summit 2026 unveils elite speaker line-up.
- Decimal Data names Andrew Ashenden as CEO to power next stage of growth.
Corporate Spotlight
How Crypto Adoption in Asia is Changing iGaming Payments
Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explores how surging crypto adoption across Asia is revolutionizing iGaming payments, stating: “When I look at what’s changing fastest in Asia, it’s payment behavior,” as wallets, stablecoins, and seamless cross-border transfers become deeply ingrained in player habits. The winning operators will be those that offer fast, reliable, and local deposits and withdrawals. To make sense of it, Yevhen breaks Asia into two crypto realities.
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