Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Angelo DAmico / Shutterstock.comCorporate travel in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region saw a significant rebound in Q3 2026, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) generating nearly 80% of business trips, as reported by Tumodo, a UAE-based online business travel platform. The report highlights a 112% increase in trips and a 132% rise in spending compared to the same period last year.
Saudi Arabia led the region with 48.6% of trips, followed by the UAE at 31.1%. Riyadh and Dubai emerged as the top destination cities, with routes such as Jeddah to Riyadh and Riyadh to Dubai being the busiest. The average aeroplane ticket price rose to $615, marking a 36% increase from Q1 2026, whilst hotel bookings averaged $663 for a 4.7-night stay.
September was the peak month for bookings, with daily figures 13% higher than in August. Mohanad Nada, Head of GCC at Tumodo, noted, “September confirmed that the autumn business season is back. Riyadh, Dubai and Dammam led the rebound.”
Emirates was the most utilised airline, followed by Saudia and Air Astana. The report suggests that the Middle East will be the fastest-growing travel region from 2026 to 2036, with a projected annual GDP growth of 6.3% in the sector. Tumodo anticipates Q4 2026 demand to remain robust, urging companies to book early and maintain flexible travel policies.
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