Saudi Arabia and the UAE lead the recovery of regional business travel as demand rose last September
A report issued by Tumodo, a UAE-based platform specializing in business travel management solutions, revealed that demand for business travel in the Middle East and North Africa recorded strong growth of 30% in the third quarter of 2025, driven by a notable recovery in September that offset the disruptions the region witnessed at the start of the quarter.
September the Busiest Month
The report explained that political volatility, which led to the closure of some airports and the cancellation of a number of flights, affected travel in July and August. September, however, marked a major turning point, with a significant rise in booking rates as the holiday season ended and business activity resumed in most regional markets.
Regional Market Continues to Grow
The report affirmed that third-quarter performance reinforces the positive trajectory of the region's business travel market, which was valued at $18.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow by 6.1% in 2025 to reach $270.8 billion by 2030, outpacing the global average growth of the sector.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the Lead
Amid this momentum, the report explained that some countries strongly led the market's recovery in the third quarter, with Saudi Arabia accounting for 20% of total business travel demand in the region, followed by the UAE with 15%, strengthening their position as major hubs for business travel, benefiting from expanding aviation networks, major national projects and evolving business environments in both countries.
Egypt and Qatar came next, supported by booming conference and trade exhibition sectors, while Morocco, Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman showed rising performance among emerging markets attracting growing interest from regional and international companies.
Most Popular Destinations
According to Tumodo data, flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, between Dubai and Riyadh, and between London and Dubai topped the list of the busiest air routes in the third quarter of the year.
Booking Trends and Travel Preferences
The average hotel booking value in the third quarter was $169, up from August levels as the holiday season ended, while the average airfare was about $499.9.
Emirates in First Place
Emirates topped travelers' preferences with 20.75%, followed by Turkish Airlines with 10.41%, then flydubai with 4.58%, Qatar Airways with 3.15% and Air France with 2.72%.
Day Trips on the Rise
Tumodo data also showed a notable shift towards short trips, with one-day trips accounting for 9% and two-day trips for 7% of total business trips, while trips longer than 7 days held steady at 4%.
This reflects the evolution of travel patterns to meet the needs of companies that combine quick meetings with extended consultations, especially with the expansion of giga-projects in Saudi Arabia such as NEOM and the hosting of global tournaments that attract specialized international expertise.
Strong Recovery and Confidence in the Future
For his part, Mohannad Nada, Head of the Gulf region at Tumodo, explained that the unexpected 30% rise, above forecasts, in the third quarter confirms the resilience of the Middle East business travel market and its ability to adapt to changes without losing momentum.
He added that the rapid recovery in September forms a solid base for continued growth in the last quarter of the current year, with business travel spending expected to increase 1.5 times faster than the global average, and inbound travel to the region expected to grow by 13% annually until 2030.
Tumodo
Tumodo is a UAE digital platform specializing in business travel management that uses artificial intelligence to offer flexible solutions enabling companies to organize trips within minutes and cut costs by up to 35%. The platform offers an easy-to-use interface and 24/7 technical support, making it an option for companies wishing to improve the efficiency of travel management and simplify booking and follow-up procedures.
