The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia among the most attractive destinations for corporate travel in 2025
The Middle East is one of the corporate travel destinations that has seen the highest growth in turnover during the year that is about to end, with star destinations such as Dubai and Riyadh
- High added-value travel
- Trade fairs and exhibitions
- Face-to-face meetings
- Business and tourism
- Corporate travel of the future
A recent study by musafir.com, one of the largest Emirati travel management companies, has highlighted that spending on business travel to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has grown by 20% during 2025, a trend that is expected to continue throughout 2026.
The company behind the study attributes this growth in turnover to increased demand in the MICE sector (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions), a specialised branch of business tourism focused on organising meetings, incentives, conferences, trade fairs and exhibitions, which is fundamental to the tourism, hospitality and services sector.
High added-value travel
The musafir.com study also highlights the changes taking place in the way corporate travel is conducted within the MENA region: there has been a shift from a formula based on routine, single-purpose travel to more meaningful and impactful travel experiences, with high added-value trips such as leadership summits, innovation workshops or agreement negotiation sessions.
According to the study, this formula allows organisations to foster collaboration among their employees, build trust and drive meaningful results in a way that is impossible with simple virtual meetings.
Musafir.com's turnover increased by 35% year-on-year in the corporate travel business, driven by destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which meet the demand for high-impact corporate meetings.
In the words of Sachin Gadoya, CEO and co-founder of musafir.com, ‘we are witnessing a fundamental readjustment of the reasons why companies travel. Business travel is no longer defined by routine trips, but by meaningful moments that drive alignment, trust and results.’
Trade fairs and exhibitions
As the study points out, the MICE sector is primarily responsible for the growth of corporate travel in the Middle East and North Africa region. Conferences, trade fairs and exhibitions are becoming increasingly important for companies to engage with their potential customers, partners and stakeholders.
In this context, cities such as Dubai and Riyadh are ideal destinations for international corporate meetings, thanks to their modern infrastructure, first-class hotels and convention centres.
This boost to the meetings, incentives, conferences, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector has also contributed to an increase in hotel bookings and travel throughout the Middle East and North Africa region, both for business and leisure tourism.
In this regard, the Middle East has become one of the preferred destinations for corporate events, due to its excellent regional connectivity and growing infrastructure.
Face-to-face meetings
After a hiatus caused by the pandemic, demand for face-to-face meetings is increasing due to the growing complexity of managing regional growth and coordinating global teams. Many companies now recognise that face-to-face meetings are essential for fostering collaboration, decision-making and trust.
According to the CEO of musafir.com, ‘for many organisations, a two-day face-to-face strategy session can achieve what weeks of virtual meetings cannot. This is especially true for companies managing regional growth and complex stakeholder relationships.’
Business and tourism
Another interesting trend highlighted by the study is that the increase in business travel to the Middle East and North Africa is also having a positive impact on the traditional tourism sector.
It is increasingly common for business travellers to combine their professional activities with leisure activities, especially when they are in cities such as Dubai, Riyadh or Doha, or even to extend their stay by a few days to do some sightseeing, taking advantage of the destination they are visiting.
As a result, the tourism sector in the region is experiencing a revival that has already begun to be seen in 2025 and is expected to continue in 2026.
Corporate travel of the future
As for future trends in corporate travel, musafir.com points to the following:
- Purpose-driven travel: as organisations adapt to hybrid working models, business travel will increasingly be reserved for moments that have a significant impact on strategy, innovation and deal-making.
- Sustained growth of the MICE sector: conferences and exhibitions will remain central to the corporate travel sector, as companies rely on these events to network, learn and collaborate.
- Smarter travel planning: technology will continue to play an important role in corporate travel, with AI-powered platforms helping companies plan smarter, more cost-effective and sustainable trips.
- Increased cross-border collaboration: With the growing interconnectedness of GCC markets, business travel between regional hubs such as Dubai, Riyadh and Doha is expected to increase.
- Focus on sustainability: Organisations are increasingly adopting sustainable travel strategies that balance cost-effectiveness with environmental impact.