Middle East business travel spending set for 6.1% growth in 2025, say experts at Arabian Travel Market
Business travel spending from the Middle East is expected to grow by 6.1 per cent this year as changing global economic conditions and the increasing impact of regional economic strategies continue to reshape the sector, experts said.
Speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, Catherine Logan, Regional Senior Vice President EMEA and APAC, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), said the argument for business travel in 2025 is strong, but transformational change will continue to influence how people travel for work around the world.
'These include economic stability, budget factors, how and where we work, implications of technology, the evolution of sustainability in business travel and the focus on the traveller,' she said.
Logan also highlighted that sustainably managed travel is a force for good, driving progress for businesses, governments, economies and people.
Middle East travel outlook
According to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook report, the Middle East accounts for 1.2 per cent of global business travel spend and has performed better than any other region post-COVID with spend reaching 19.4 per cent higher than pre-COVID levels.
The region's estimated spending on work trips was to the tune of $18.1 billion in 2024, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1 per cent in 2025, the report said.
Ciaran Kelly, Managing Director of Middle East & Africa, FCM Travel, said there is a positive outlook for business travel in the region, as per trends seen from the company's customers, surveys, and forecasts.
'A lot of the growth is due to the public and private projects taking place – it is almost impossible to get a seat on a plane from Dubai to Riyadh, for example, and once you land, hotel availability is limited,' Kelly said.
Hotel occupancy across the region is the highest globally, around 70-80 per cent, putting a lot of pressure on hotels, but in general, everything is positive, the FCM Travels top executive said.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said understanding the shifts in work trips spending is essential for companies that want to remain competitive and resilient in a fast-evolving market.
'Sessions like this at IBTM@ATM are crucial for providing our attendees with actionable insights and real-world analysis, empowering them to navigate shifting travel patterns and discover new opportunities in the Middle East and beyond,' he said.
The Business Events Stage at IBTM@ATM will continue to explore emerging trends across business travel, MICE, and corporate events until April 30.
The sessions will cover various topics, including the integration of AI and future-proofing strategies for business travel, the human connection versus AI in event experiences, new trends in Chinese outbound MICE travel, achieving net zero carbon emissions in the events industry, and advancing climate action through strategic partnerships in business travel, among other topics.
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