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Mena business travel rebounds as bookings jump 20% led by UAE, Saudi demand
Business travel across the GCC has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels by more than 19 per cent, highlighting the region’s growing importance as a global corporate mobility hub
- PUBLISHED: Wed 22 Apr 2026, 9:55 PM
Business travel across the Middle East and North Africa gathered fresh momentum in early 2026, with bookings surging in February and regional demand continuing to outpace global trends despite geopolitical disruptions that softened activity toward the end of the quarter.
New data from Tumodo shows corporate travel volumes rose sharply in February, helping the first quarter match the strong performance recorded in late 2025 and reinforcing expectations that the region’s business travel market will expand rapidly through the rest of the decade.
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Industry forecasts indicate Mena business travel spending could reach $270.8 billion by 2030, growing significantly faster than the global average as economic diversification, infrastructure investment and cross-border corporate activity accelerate across Gulf markets.
February spike
Corporate travel demand opened the year on a steady note, with January bookings rising 5 per cent compared with December levels. Momentum strengthened significantly in February, when bookings jumped 20 per cent — the strongest monthly performance of the quarter.
March did not sustain the same pace but still finished about 5 per cent higher than January, supported partly by staff relocations and project-related travel across regional business corridors.
Overall, first-quarter volumes matched those recorded in the final quarter of 2025. Tumodo estimates the region could have delivered roughly 25 per cent growth during the quarter had regional tensions not disrupted travel plans in March.
Mohanad Nada, head of GCC at Tumodo, said underlying demand remained resilient despite short-term volatility.
“March was a different story, but it still came in ahead of January, which tells you the appetite for business travel in Mena remains solid,” he said, adding that rising airfare costs are now the main concern for corporate travel managers.
Key destinations
Saudi Arabia remained the region’s largest business travel destination in the first quarter, accounting for 30 per cent of trips, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 20 per cent and Egypt with 10 per cent.
The busiest corporate routes reflected deepening commercial ties across major regional hubs, with return travel between Dubai and Riyadh leading the rankings, followed by Dubai–Cairo and Riyadh–Cairo.
Business travel across the GCC has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels by more than 19 per cent, highlighting the region’s growing importance as a global corporate mobility hub.
Rising costs
Air travel costs edged higher during the quarter, with average ticket prices rising to $451 from $439 in the previous quarter. While the increase remained broadly in line with inflation, Tumodo warned that fares could climb by as much as 25 per cent in coming months as fuel prices rise and route availability tightens.
Hotel rates also increased modestly, with average bookings reaching $467 compared with $455 previously, reflecting strong occupancy levels across major commercial destinations.
Among airlines, Emirates accounted for 20 per cent of bookings, followed by Saudia at 19 per cent, Turkish Airlines at 16 per cent and flydubai at 10 per cent.
The average business trip lasted four days, reflecting a mix of short executive visits and longer project assignments linked to infrastructure, logistics and technology deployments across Gulf markets.
Regional outlook
Looking ahead, industry indicators suggest business travel demand across Mena will continue strengthening through 2026 as investment activity accelerates and regional connectivity improves.
Inbound travel to the region is projected to grow about 13 per cent annually through 2030, with corporate travel spending expected to expand 1.5 times faster than the global average.
Policy initiatives are also expected to support mobility. A planned unified GCC tourist visa — similar in concept to Europe’s Schengen framework — is expected to simplify cross-border travel across Gulf economies, potentially boosting intra-regional corporate movement and multi-country business itineraries.
With the UAE and Saudi Arabia continuing to anchor regional demand and forward booking indicators pointing upward, Tumodo expects the second quarter to provide a clearer picture of sustained recovery momentum after the temporary disruptions seen in March.
