Dubai and Riyadh Lead Surge in Corporate Travel Spending Across MENA, Here’s All You Need to Know

Published on December 29, 2025

Business travel spending in the MENA region has increased almost 20% in 2025, indicating a strong momentum at the beginning of 2026. According to musafir.com, one of the UAE’s biggest travel management companies, this growth is driven by increased demand for MICE, large events, and leadership meetings across borders. It’s a growth that’s poised to benefit not just the corporate world but also open immense opportunities for tourism and hospitality verticals.

A Shift Towards Strategic Travel in MENA

The corporate travel landscape across MENA is evolving rapidly. The days of routine, single-purpose trips are fading as companies embrace more purposeful and impactful travel experiences. As global travel dynamics change, businesses are increasingly prioritizing high-value trips, such as leadership summits, innovation workshops, and deal-making sessions. These events allow organizations to foster collaboration, build trust, and drive meaningful outcomes in ways that virtual meetings simply cannot replicate.

For musafir.com, the results are clear. The company reported a remarkable 35% year-on-year growth in its corporate travel business, particularly in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, which reflects an increasing demand for high-impact corporate gatherings.

“We are witnessing a fundamental recalibration of why companies travel,” said Sachin Gadoya, CEO and Co-Founder of musafir.com. “Business travel is no longer defined by routine movement, but by purposeful moments that drive alignment, trust, and outcomes.”

The MICE Sector Takes Center Stage

One of the primary drivers of MENA’s growing business travel landscape is the MICE sector. Conferences, trade shows, and industry exhibitions have become vital touchpoints for businesses to engage with potential clients, partners, and stakeholders. As regional markets become more interconnected, cities like Dubai and Riyadh are increasingly chosen as hubs for international corporate gatherings. These cities are equipped with world-class event infrastructure, from modern convention centers to top-tier hotels and venues, ensuring that large-scale corporate meetings run smoothly.

This growth in MICE activity is contributing to a broader rise in hotel bookings and travel across MENA, which benefits both business and leisure tourism. The influx of business travelers often leads to increased interest from tourists looking to explore these regions, whether for business extensions (bleisure) or vacationing in some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

The Middle East as a Strategic Collaboration Hub

The Middle East has emerged as a preferred destination for corporate events due to its exceptional regional connectivity and rapidly expanding infrastructure. The rise in business travel, especially between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, highlights the region’s growing role as a global collaboration hub. Major sectors, including construction, real estate, energy, and technology, are experiencing rapid growth, with corporate movement across borders accelerating.

Furthermore, the demand for in-person meetings is increasing due to the complexities of managing regional growth and global teams. While virtual meetings became the norm during the pandemic, many businesses now recognize that face-to-face interactions are essential for fostering collaboration, decision-making, and trust—particularly in sectors where nuanced discussions are crucial to business success.

“For many organizations, a focused two-day in-person strategy session can achieve what weeks of virtual meetings cannot,” Gadoya noted. “That’s particularly true for businesses managing regional growth and complex stakeholder relationships.”

MENA Travel and Tourism: Benefits Beyond Business

The rise in business travel in MENA has direct benefits for the tourism sector. While business travelers increasingly seek to combine their work trips with leisure activities, the broader tourism industry sees a boost from the growing number of corporate events hosted across the region. Cities like Dubai, Riyadh, and Doha are not only becoming meeting points for global businesses but also growing as popular tourist destinations.

As businesses expand across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, there is an accompanying increase in tourism, particularly in areas that cater to both business and leisure travelers. The trend of “bleisure” travel, where business travelers extend their trips for sightseeing and relaxation, is also gaining traction, benefiting local tourist attractions, hospitality services, and retail sectors.

This rise in travel is fostering a vibrant economy and is expected to continue driving MENA’s tourism sector into 2026 and beyond, making the region an attractive destination for both business and leisure travelers.

Corporate Travel Trends Shaping the Future

Looking toward 2026, musafir.com anticipates several key trends that will shape the future of corporate travel:

1. Purpose-Driven Travel: As organizations adapt to hybrid work models, business travel will be increasingly reserved for moments that significantly impact strategy, innovation, and deal-making.
2. Sustained MICE Growth: Conferences and exhibitions will remain central to the corporate travel industry, with businesses relying on these events for networking, learning, and collaboration.
3. Smarter Travel Planning: Technology will continue to play a significant role in corporate travel, with AI-driven platforms helping companies plan smarter, more cost-efficient, and sustainable trips.
4. Increased Cross-Border Collaboration: With GCC markets becoming more interconnected, business travel between regional hubs like Dubai, Riyadh, and Doha is expected to grow.
5. Sustainability Focus: Organizations are increasingly adopting sustainable travel strategies that balance cost-efficiency with environmental impact.

The Future of Corporate Travel in MENA

As we venture into the year 2026, Corporate travel within MENA looks set to continue being strong, with a greater emphasis being placed on value-adding events, collaboration, and informed travel planning and execution. As both business and recreational travelers, the Middle East looks set to become a vibrant and increasingly diverse destination, offering a compelling combination of business engagement and travel experiences. The key to the future of corporate travel is all about purpose, and companies and professionals traveling with a defined vision and angle stand to gain from innovation, growth, and success.