International visitor spending in the MENASA region is projected to increase by US$116 billion, a 57% rise, from 2025 to 2030, according to the ATM Travel Trends Report revealed at Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai on September 18, 2026. International travel across MENASA is forecast to grow by 17% in 2027, surpassing the global average growth of 8%.
UAE Hotel Occupancy and Domestic Market Growth
Hotel occupancy levels across the seven UAE emirates reached approximately 68% by the end of August 2026. Abu Dhabi alone received over 3.4 million hotel guests year-to-date through August, maintaining about 70% hotel occupancy, according to Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International
Operations at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.
Domestic tourism is a significant factor in this recovery. Accor Plus launched a loyalty subscription program in the UAE in May 2026, which has increased the domestic travel mix from 2% to 16%. Emilie Couton, CEO of Accor Plus, reported plans to expand the program to nine additional Middle Eastern countries. The Global Hotel Alliance noted a 7% increase in UAE staycations so far in 2026 despite some decline in international demand.
Sector Leadership and Confidence at Arabian Travel Market 2026
H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, said the region had ended its
decline, stating, “We stopped the descending. We are in the ascending aspect at the moment. We’re taking off.” He also highlighted strategic economic design aimed at resilience and future crisis management.
Eddy Tannous, COO of Rotana Hotel Management Corporation, described the strong summer 2026 performance as evidence of market resilience, saying, “We’re still here. We’re not rebounding. We’re becoming much stronger.” He emphasized ongoing momentum heading into the final quarter and 2027.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director for Arabian Travel Market, noted the industry’s faster recovery pace, with recent travel disruptions seeing rebound periods shorten from 24 months in the
early 2000s to roughly 10–12 months currently.
Aviation Growth and Investment
Etihad Airways increased its capacity by 15% year-on-year in 2026 and hired more than 600 staff. Group CEO Antonoaldo Neves reported having the airline’s best July ever in profitability and stated plans to add four new routes in China and four in Africa in 2027, along with acquiring 15 more aircraft in the latter half of 2026. Etihad is investing US$1 billion to retrofit its entire fleet to enhance passenger experience.
Emirates Group also reported a strong Arabian Travel Market with new route launches and cabin product innovations. Boutros Boutros of Emirates Group
stated, “The customers always in our mind.”
Dubai Airports recorded a 26% increase in passenger demand from June to July 2026 and reported positive forward bookings for the fourth quarter of 2026, according to CEO Paul Griffiths.
Cultural Tourism and Technology Adoption
Sharjah is developing its tourism offering centered on culture and heritage, focusing on traditional dress, Arabic cuisine, museums, and a growing MICE sector, per Khalid Al Mansouri of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.
Abu Dhabi is expanding its cultural attractions with museums showcasing over 300,000 years of history and has upcoming additions including TeamLab and the Guggenheim museum.
Technology is a key
trend, with 91% of Middle East travel businesses piloting or using artificial intelligence, achieving measurable cost savings in 85% of cases. Twenty-eight percent of prospective Middle East visitors have used AI chatbots for trip planning, more than double the global average.
