Prime Highlights
- Business travel in the MENA region surged 30% in Q3 2025, driven by a strong rebound in September bookings after earlier disruptions.
- UAE-based Tumodo says short trips dominate the market, with growing demand linked to regional mega-projects and strategic hubs like Dubai and Riyadh.
Key Facts
- The MENA business travel market was valued at $18.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow 6.1% annually, reaching $270.8 billion by 2030.
- Emirates led airline preferences with a 20.75% share, while average Q3 bookings were $169 for hotels and $499.9 for air travel.
Background
Business travel in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region grew 30% in Q3 2025, according to UAE-based travel platform Tumodo. The growth was driven by strong September bookings, which recovered losses from early political disruptions and some airport closures.
Saudi Arabia (20%) and the UAE (15%) stayed the leading business travel hubs, followed by Egypt, Qatar, and emerging markets like Morocco, Bahrain, and Oman. Some of the most traveled routes were between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Riyadh, as well as London and Dubai.
Tumodo reported that most trips were short business trips. One-day and two-day trips made up 9% and 7% of bookings, while seven-day trips remained at 4%. This demonstrates both brief meetings and multi-purpose projects, such as mega-projects, such as NEOM.
Average hotel bookings in the quarter were $169, while air travel averaged $499.9. Emirates was the top airline with 20.75% of travelers choosing it, followed by Turkish Airlines, Flydubai, Qatar Airways, and Air France.
“The 30% rise shows that the MENA business travel market is strong and can adapt to challenges,” said Mohanad Nada, head of GCC at Tumodo.
The MENA business travel market, valued at $18.1bn in 2024, is expected to grow 6.1% annually and reach $270.8bn by 2030, faster than global averages. Inbound travel is forecast to grow 13% yearly, and business travel spending is expected to rise 1.5 times faster than the world average, showing strong potential for the region’s business tourism.
