Arabian Travel Market
Ahmed from the Visit Bahrain pavilion opens oysters to find pearls, at the Arabian Travel Market. The show runs until May 1, 2025.
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Middle East Travel Spending to Hit $350bn by 2030 as Tourism Grows 50%
Travel spending in the Middle East is set to soar 50% by 2030, reaching nearly $350 billion, according to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2025 released by Arabian Travel Market in partnership with Tourism Economics. Driven by robust inbound tourism, expanding luxury and business travel, and mounting investment in sports and entertainment, the region is projected to outpace global travel growth. Inbound travel is expected to grow 13% annually through 2030, with Asia, Africa, the UK, and India emerging as key source markets. 'Travel growth in the Middle East is incredibly strong, with annual growth averaging more than 7 per cent through 2030,' said Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME at Arabian Travel Market. She pointed to national visions, major development projects, and enhanced connectivity as central to this rise. By the end of 2024, regional travel spending is forecast to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 54%. Business travel, in particular, is growing at 1.5 times the global rate, positioning the Middle East as the world's second-fastest-growing region for corporate tourism. Aviation and hospitality are also playing pivotal roles. Regional carriers—Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, and Saudia—have collectively placed orders for nearly 780 aircraft, underscoring long-term ambitions to cement the region's status as a global aviation hub. Luxury tourism continues to thrive, with nearly 60% of visitors opting for high-end experiences—far above the global average. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia's giga projects are at the forefront of this trend. Sports tourism is emerging as another powerful growth engine. With the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Dubai Expo setting the stage, the sector is expected to grow 63% by 2030, boosted by events like Saudi Arabia's upcoming 2034 FIFA World Cup and increasing investment in motorsports, golf, and esports. News Source: Gulf Businesss
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a day ago
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Middle East travel spend set to soar 50% by 2030: report
Image: Getty Images Travel spending in the Middle East is projected to climb 50 per cent by 2030, reaching nearly $350bn, driven by surging inbound tourism, expanding luxury and business travel, and increased investment in sports and entertainment, according to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2025 released by The report forecasts that inbound travel to the region will grow by 13 per cent annually between 2025 and 2030, significantly outpacing global averages. Key source markets fueling this rise include Asia and Africa, alongside strong demand from Europe, where the UK and India remain the top international leisure contributors. 'Travel growth in the Middle East is incredibly strong, with annual growth averaging more than 7 per cent through 2030,' said Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME at Arabian Travel Market. 'Bold national visions, game-changing developments, and enhanced connectivity are key drivers behind this upward trajectory.' Travel spending in the region is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 54 per cent in 2024, and business travel is set to grow at 1.5 times the global average, making the Middle East the world's second-fastest growing region for business tourism. Travel industry driven by key developments in regional aviation and hospitality sectors The report also underscores the region's transformation into a global aviation hub, with Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Saudia placing close to 780 aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus, underscoring long-term growth ambitions. Meanwhile, luxury travel continues to thrive. With nearly 100 of the Middle East's 170 luxury hotels located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and more underway in Saudi Arabia's giga projects, the region is becoming a magnet for high-net-worth travellers. According to the report, nearly 60 per cent of visitors to the Middle East spend on luxury experiences, compared to less than 40 per cent globally. 'Travellers drawn to the Middle East tend to spend more overall, attracted by exceptional hospitality, curated experiences, and premium cultural events,' Curtis said. Sports tourism is another major growth driver. Following events such as Qatar's 2022 FIFA World Cup and Dubai Expo 2020, the region is set for a 63 per cent increase in sports-related travel, with the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia expected to further boost the sector. The report highlights rising interest and investment in football, golf, motorsports, cycling, and esports. Read:
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Inside Saudi's Hajj-only barbershop, shaving thousands of heads in a day
Near the holy city of Makkah, men in white robes stand quietly in a long queue, waiting for the next important act of their Hajj pilgrimage: a haircut. Shaving or cutting the hair comes near the end of the Hajj, and marks the moment when pilgrims can change out of the Ihram clothing that signifies purity and devotion. The barbershop, strategically positioned by the Jamarat complex in Mina, where the "stoning of the devil" ritual took place on Friday, opens exclusively for the annual Hajj and does a roaring trade. On the pilgrimage's last day, which coincides with the major festival of Eid Al Adha, its barbers typically handle 6,000 customers, said manager Imad Fawzi, an official employed by the Hajj organisation. Inside, men in plastic aprons wield electric clippers and cut-throat razors, shearing scalps on an industrial scale for 60 riyals ($13) a time. Despite the rush — there are so many customers that an usher is required — Ahmed, a 28-year-old barber from Egypt, is happy in his work. "This is a very simple thing to do, but it brings us so much joy," he says. Fawzi, who grew up in Makkah, called himself a "child of the Hajj". "I've been working in Hajj since I was seven," he says. 'This outfit is exhausting' The once-a-year hairdresser's is not the only place for a cut: parts of Makkah and the plain of Mina, on its outskirts, turn into an open-air barbershop at this stage of the Hajj. Leaving the Jamarat, a Southeast Asian man took out a razor and started scraping the back of his head as he walked. Further down the street, a group of African men were shaving each other with clippers. In Mecca, entire streets are lined with barbershops doing brisk business. While men shave their hair, women trim theirs by a fingertip-length. About 1.6 million pilgrims have gathered in and around Mecca, Islam's holiest city, for this year's Hajj, which all Muslims with the means must complete at least once. Outside the Jamarat hairdresser's, Hani Abdel Samih is looking forward to changing out of the wrap-around skirt and shawl he has been wearing for the past three days. "The stoning of the devil at Jamarat requires great effort and we've been wearing these clothes all day," he said. "We wanted to wear our everyday clothes and be comfortable, so we went to the nearest barbershop we could find after the Jamarat," said the Egyptian. Yet his face is beaming with joy. He said he does not mind the wait for a haircut that bears a special place in his spiritual journey. "I'm excited, of course! Because this is Sunnah from the Prophet, peace be upon him," he said, referring to the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. "We like (this ritual) and we cannot break it," he said. The Hajj retraces the Prophet's last pilgrimage, with rites at Makkah's Grand Mosque and Mount Arafat before "stoning the devil" — throwing pebbles at three giant walls at Jamarat.
