Tag Archives: Middle East

Middle Eastern travellers, particularly from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are increasingly embracing cross-generational travel, with families spanning grandparents, parents, and children exploring destinations together. The trend reflects a growing desire to create lasting memories, combining leisure with meaningful experiences, said Jarrod Kris, Head of Destination Partnerships APAC, Skyscanner, at ITB Asia. Mountain escapes are emerging as a major draw, with 89% of Saudi travellers planning summer or autumn trips to mountainous regions. Destinations like Hokkaido in Japan, Turkey, Armenia, and Da Nang in Vietnam are gaining popularity, offering an alternative to traditional ski-season holidays and appealing to travellers seeking escapism. Younger generations, including Gen Z and millennials, are driving demand for diverse and adventurous experiences. Searches for Shanghai surged 285% year-on-year, while Da Nang rose 260%, reflecting growing interest in culturally rich destinations. Faster visa processing for countries like China is making Asian destinations more accessible, further boosting travel trends. With strong connectivity from the UAE and Saudi Arabia to Europe and Asia, Middle Eastern travellers are expected to continue exploring a wide range of destinations in 2026, blending family bonding with adventure, culture, and immersive experiences.

The Middle East is set to record one of the strongest tourism growth rates globally, with inbound travel projected to rise by around 40% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, according to new data from Tourism Economics presented at ITB Asia 2025. While Asia-Pacific (APAC) is leading the global tourism recovery, the report shows that the Middle East will outpace most other regions after 2027, reflecting its growing role as a global travel hub. Strong air connectivity, large-scale tourism investments, and new visitor infrastructure in destinations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are driving sustained momentum. Tourism Economics projects that global inbound volumes will surpass 2019 levels by 2026, with APAC’s share of global visits climbing to 49% by 2030. As outbound travel from China fully recovers by 2027 and India’s outbound market expands even faster, the Middle East is expected to capture a rising share of long-haul arrivals, particularly from Asia.  Despite global economic uncertainty, the region’s tourism resilience and diversification efforts are expected to underpin long-term growth. The study concludes that by 2030, the Middle East will solidify its position as a critical connector between Asia and Europe — and a key driver of global tourism expansion.

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is set to establish a Tourism Law Observatory for the Middle East. This pioneering initiative will support the development and harmonization of legal and regulatory frameworks for tourism across the region. The Tourism Law Observatory for the Middle East will serve as a knowledge hub and digital platform that systematically collects, organizes, analyses, updates and disseminates tourism-related laws and regulations in the region, with the support of a network of individual experts and academic collaborators. It will also issue publications, recommendations, and organize conferences and seminars on topics of special interest. The initiative aligns with the broader mandate of UN Tourism’s Tourism Law Observatories, a flagship initiative endorsed by the 25th General Assembly. These Observatories represent a long-term, large-scale initiative led by UN Tourism to be developed across its five different regions, with a view to fostering the progressive harmonization of Tourism Law at the international level, thus enhancing legal security and benefiting all tourism operators. As the first of its kind in the region, the Tourism Law Observatory represents a milestone for UN Tourism, reflecting its commitment to support Member States of the Middle East in addressing key challenges and complexities of tourism legislation.

The Middle East has become one of the most active regions in reaffirming its stance on tourism and sustainable transformation. It is quite ironic that we celebrate World Tourism Day today 27th September under a theme so relevant in this region. Over the past few years the Middle East has emerged as one of the fastest growing tourism hubs driven by national visions, megaprojects and its expanding hospitality sector. This year’s celebration is a reminder that tourism is more than just about destinations and experiences, it is stewardship of cultural heritage, preservation of natural landscapes and most importantly empowerment of local communities. We have witnessed over the years how the Middle East has been setting new benchmarks by aligning tourism with green mobility, renewable energy, eco-conscious hospitality and digital innovation whilst it remains deeply rooted in heritage and traditions. The Middle East has set a great example as it has become a catalyst for sustainable transformations, balancing growth with responsibility to create a more inclusive and environmentally conscious future for global travel. TTME spoke with the leaders in the industry about their plans for this year. Julia Simpson, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): World Tourism Day is a celebration of Travel & Tourism’s power to inspire, connect and create lasting prosperity. This year’s host, India, embodies the spirit of “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”, showing how investment in sustainable infrastructure, digital innovation and resilient communities can drive growth that endures. By uniting vision and action, we can protect cultural and natural treasures, empower communities and drive prosperity. Together, we can ensure Travel & Tourism remains a force for good for generations to come. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of Saudi …