Forbes Middle East reveals the region's top travel & tourism leaders
Emiratis lead with 15 entries, followed by 14 Saudis and nine British executives.
The top three leaders are from Emirates Airline & Group, the Saudi Tourism Authority, and Qatar Airways Group.
U.A.E.-based listees dominate with 49 entries, followed by 24 in Saudi Arabia and seven in Egypt.
Dubai, U.A.E.: Forbes Middle East has released the 2025 edition of its signature list spotlighting the Middle East's Top 100 Travel and Tourism Leaders, highlighting the individuals spearheading the region's most ambitious destinations, hotels, airlines, airports, and tourism initiatives. This year's ranking reflects the powerful momentum building across the sector, driven by bold vision, government strategy, and record-breaking investments.
To curate the list, Forbes Middle East evaluated leaders across the public and private sectors based on the scale of their organizations—measured by revenues, asset values, hotel keys, and number of passengers—as well as their experience, achievements, and overall impact on the tourism landscape. All ranked individuals are based in the MENA region.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman & Chief Executive of Emirates Airline & Group, tops the 2025 list for the fourth consecutive year. In the 2024/25 financial year, the group recorded $39.6 billion in revenues—a 6% increase compared to the previous year and holds $49.7 billion in assets. He is followed by Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, and Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Group CEO of Qatar Airways Group, who round off the top three.
Executives on this year's list represent 10 countries across the region. The U.A.E. is home to 49 leaders, followed by 24 in Saudi Arabia, seven in Egypt, and five in Oman. Jordan and Morocco each have four representatives, while Qatar and Bahrain have three each. Kuwait and Tunisia are represented by one leader each: Kuwait Airways and the Tunisian National Tourist Office (ONTT), respectively.
Among the 101 listees, 15 are Emiratis, 14 are Saudis, and nine are British, making up the top three nationalities.
Tourism leaders across the region have helped usher in a new era of historic firsts. In June 2025, Bander Almohanna, CEO and Managing Director of flynas, led the company to complete a $1.1 billion IPO, becoming the first airline to list on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul). In April 2024, Fernando Eiroa, CEO of Dubai Holding Entertainment, launched the world's first Real Madrid-themed park, Real Madrid World. In May 2025, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, announced the development of the region's first Disney theme park and resort in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company; marking the seventh Disney resort globally. In Morocco, Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, oversaw the creation of the country's first tourism project bank, featuring 200 investment-ready templates.
Top 10 Travel & Tourism Leaders In The Middle East 2025
1. H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Country: U.A.E.
Nationality: Emirati
Chairman & Chief Executive,
Emirates Airline & Group
2. Fahd Hamidaddin
Country: Saudi Arabia
Nationality: Saudi
CEO, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA)
3. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer
Country: Qatar
Nationality: Qatari
Group CEO, Qatar Airways Group
4. Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry
Country: U.A.E.
Nationality: Emirati
Director General for Tourism, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi)
5. Fatim-Zahra Ammor
Country: Morocco
Nationality: Moroccan
Chair, MNTO; SMIT
6. Raed bin Hassan Alidrissi
Country: Saudi Arabia
Nationality: Saudi
CEO, MATARAT Holding
7. Hesham Al Qassim
Country: U.A.E.
Nationality: Emirati
CEO, Wasl Group
8. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri
Country: U.A.E.
Nationality: Emirati
Managing Director & Group CEO, ADNEC Group
9. Mohamed Abdallah Al Zaabi
Country: U.A.E.
Nationality: Emirati
Group CEO, Miral
10. Paul Griffiths
Country: U.A.E.
Nationality: British
CEO, Dubai Airports
Click here for the complete list of The Middle East's Top 100 Travel & Tourism Leaders 2025.
About Forbes Middle East
Forbes Middle East is a licensed edition of Forbes for the Arab world, championing inspiring business journalism and entrepreneurial capitalism. Its online and social platforms break news covering billionaires, business, investment, technology, economy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and luxury lifestyles. The monthly magazine, featuring in-depth interviews with the Middle East's most influential and innovative leaders, is published in print in English and Arabic, with digital versions available to both regional and global audiences online. Forbes Middle East extends the Forbes brand of journalism across the Arab world, conducting its own comprehensive research to publish original lists that adhere to strict methodologies. Its content attracts business leaders, investors, active and potential entrepreneurs, and a wide audience of ambitious and influential executives.
Media contact: Basma Aly Sadek: basma@forbesmiddleeast.com
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