Say goodbye to plain old moss poles

I’m writing this week’s Photography News from what may be the most exotic place imaginable. At this very moment, I’m roughly a thousand kilometers from the South American mainland, aboard a speeding boat whose deck shudders as it leaps across the waves. The keel slicing through the dark gray surface of the Pacific throws towering sprays of water high into the air. Off the starboard side, equatorial sunlight breaks through distant rain showers, painting a magnificent rainbow across the horizon. Far behind us, Isabela Island and the small Cuatro Hermanos archipelago have already disappeared. But off the port side, some 15 kilometers away, the outlines of another volcanic island—Santa Cruz—are beginning to emerge from the bluish haze. Yes, you guessed correctly: I’m writing from the middle of a living textbook of evolutionary biology—the Galápagos Islands.

As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda, the Kingdom’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments within its tourism ecosystem. Against this backdrop, WTM Spotlight Riyadh will serve as a global platform to showcase the country’s expanding capacity to host world-class business events, bringing and connecting international planners with opportunities across the Kingdom.

According to Mordor Intelligence, Saudi Arabia’s MICE market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 9.82% through to 2031, reaching US$5.65 billion, reflecting the Kingdom’s substantial investment in venues, aviation, hospitality, and supporting infrastructure.

The Republic of Moldova will mark the 25th anniversary of National Wine Day under the slogan “United by Wine” on 3–4 October 2026 in Chișinău, celebrating a milestone that reflects the country’s transformation into an increasingly recognized player in the global wine industry.

As one of the few countries in the world to dedicate a national holiday to wine, Moldova has turned National Wine Day into a major cultural and tourism event, attracting thousands of visitors annually and showcasing the evolution of its wine sector on the international stage.