What's next for hospitality in the Middle East?

Hospitality Net

15-05-2025

We're excited to welcome Sathis M Aravinda as our new Regional Director of Sales for MEIA.
Sathis brings more than two decades of experience working with leading hospitality brands, including Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Rotana Hotels, and Mövenpick Hotels. Most recently, he served as Associate VP of Revenue, eDistribution, Sales & Reservations at Millennium Hotels & Resorts, where he led the successful launch of 35 new hotels across the region.
We sat down with Sathis to hear his thoughts on the evolving Middle East market — and how Duetto can support the region's hospitality growth.
Understanding the Middle East hospitality market
'The Middle East is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing regions for hospitality right now,' Sathis shares. 'It's a region full of opportunity, and we're just scratching the surface of what's possible.'
And he's absolutely right. With national strategies, ambitious tourism goals, and booming visitor numbers, the Middle East is redefining itself as a global tourism destination.
1. Government-led policy shifts fueling hospitality growth
Across the region, governments are rolling out initiatives to drive economic diversification, and tourism is a central focus.
In Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 is transforming the country from oil-dependent to a diversified economy, with massive investments in tourism, culture, and entertainment. Thinkprojects like NEOM, Diriyah Gate, and the Red Sea Project — these are all reshaping the country into a must-visit destination.
Meanwhile, the UAE's Net Zero 2050 initiative is placing sustainability at the center of growth. The country aims to welcome 40 million hotel guests annually by 2031, showcasing its strong tourism ambitions. Leading brands are already aligning with this momentum, integrating green building practices, renewable energy, and eco-conscious experiences that meet the expectations of today's traveler.
And it's not just Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Countries like Qatar, Oman, and others across the Gulf are investing in infrastructure, elevating service quality, and implementing national tourism strategies to remain competitive.
'What makes this region so unique,' Sathis explains, 'is the alignment between national policy and private sector ambition. It's not just about building more hotels — it's about building smarter, more sustainable, and experience-driven destinations.'
2. Budget airlines boosting tourism
The growth of regional and low-cost carriers is transforming how people travel to — and within — the Middle East.
This increased accessibility is revolutionary for our sector, as it brings in a more diverse mix of visitors — from leisure travelers exploring new destinations to digital nomads setting base in the region. The ease of travel is not only boosting tourism numbers but also encouraging longer stays and repeat visits, supporting long-term, sustainable growth for hotels.
Sathis adds:
"Increased airline connectivity, particularly through budget carriers, is broadening access to the region,' Sathis notes. 'More affordable flights mean more visitors — from families on vacation to entrepreneurs exploring new markets. It's boosting tourism and helping hotels tap into new guest segments.'
3. A new getaway for Dubai's tourism
The UAE is also making a landmark investment in travel infrastructure in southern Dubai with the expansion of the new Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). Once complete, it's expected to become the world's largest, with the capacity to handle up to 260 million passengers per year — five times the size of Dubai International.
For hotels, this development presents a major opportunity. Increased air traffic and expanded route networks are expected to bring significantly more international visitors, driving demand across all accommodation segments — from luxury resorts to midscale and budget properties, particularly those located near the airport.
'The development of DWC is set to transform Dubai's accessibility,' Sathis explains. 'It will supercharge inbound tourism and open up new opportunities for hotels, particularly in areas surrounding the airport. We're looking at millions of new visitors, and hotels need to strategize their pricing and operations to capture this demand surge.'
4. Sports tourism on the rise
The Middle East is also gaining ground as a sports tourism hub. From world-class horse racing to Formula 1, the region is hosting an increasing number of international events and drawing in sports fans and event-goers from all over the world.
'The sports tourism angle is huge,' Sathis notes. 'These events attract not just attendees, but their families, sponsors, and media crews — creating demand for hotels across every segment.'
5. A unified tourism ecosystem
One of the most exciting developments on the horizon? The Unified GCC visa — an initiative similar to the Schengen visa in Europe.
This new visa will allow travelers to move seamlessly across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, unlocking a new wave of regional tourism and making multi-country trips across the Gulf easier than ever.
For the hospitality industry, this opens up opportunities for extended stays, higher occupancy rates, and the creation of cross-border packages and experiences tailored to the modern traveler.
'The introduction of a common GCC visa is a major breakthrough. It opens the door for travelers to explore more destinations in a single trip, which will drive demand across the region,' Sathis shares. 'Hotels can now collaborate across borders to deliver a seamless, multi-destination experience.'
Duetto's role shaping the future
As the Middle East continues its rapid evolution, Duetto's cutting-edge solutions are empowering hotels to optimize performance like never before.
'The opportunities here are massive,' Sathis says. 'Duetto helps hoteliers make smarter and faster pricing decisions. That's crucial in such a dynamic environment.'
Sathis is also enthusiastic about Duetto's recent acquisition of Hotstats, a move that gives hoteliers a clear, actionable view of their overall profits, driving data-backed decisions that increase efficiency and elevate the guest experience.
'The decision to join Duetto was a strategic one, fueled by a desire to contribute to the evolution of revenue management,' he explains. 'Many hotels in the region are still relying on legacy systems, but Duetto brings true innovation. We're offering hotels a complete solution to drive more profitable decisions. Our goal is clear — to become the leading revenue and profit optimization platform for hotels across the Middle East.'
With growth projected across the region for years to come, Sathis is focused on helping Duetto strengthen its leadership position across the Middle East.
'The energy here is electric,' he says. 'There's so much potential, and I'm excited to help our partners capture that growth.'
About Duetto
Duetto is the leading revenue strategy platform for the hospitality industry, unlocking revenue for rooms and event spaces in more than 6,800 hotels, casinos, and resorts globally.
The creators of Open Pricing, Duetto's RMS leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and automation tools to optimize pricing and revenue strategies, driving increased profitability and operational efficiency. With comprehensive reporting and forecasting capabilities, Duetto empowers hospitality professionals with the insights needed to navigate the complexities of the modern travel landscape.
Named the world's #1 revenue management system in the HotelTechAwards four years running, from 2022 to 2025, Duetto is on a mission to become the revenue and profit operating system for the hotel industry.
For more information, please visit duettocloud.com.