Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Business travel and entertainment spending in the Gulf remained robust this summer, despite a volatile year, according to a report by Tumodo and Platinumlist. The data reveals a 34.2% increase in business travel bookings across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with Saudi Arabia leading the growth. Jeddah saw a 33.9% rise in bookings, followed by Dammam at 22.2% and Riyadh at 18%. Cairo bookings increased by 14.5%.
The most popular travel routes included Riyadh-Jeddah, Dubai-Riyadh, and Cairo-Riyadh. Average airfares rose to $627, a 14.6% increase year over year, whilst hotel rates decreased to $137 per night, down 8%. Trips are becoming longer and more considered, with the average length increasing from 4.2 to 6.5 days. Business class bookings also rose from 6.1% to 8.6%.
Andrew Baturin, Chief Marketing Officer at Tumodo, noted, “Even with everything going on in the region this year, our data doesn’t show businesses pulling back on travel. What we’re seeing this summer is that trips are fewer, longer, and more considered.”
In the entertainment sector, UAE live entertainment bookings returned to year-on-year growth in June. Arabic music bookings grew more than fourfold, whilst comedy shows doubled. Football events, including Eid fixtures and World Cup fan zones, also drew significant crowds.
Cosmin Ivan, CEO at Platinumlist, commented, “Arabic music and comedy are pulling audiences we weren’t seeing at this scale a year ago, and people are going out more often even as they spend a little less each time.”
The report suggests that the trend of deliberate spending in both corporate travel and entertainment is likely to continue into the second half of the year.
This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools and checked by the editor before publication. Spot an error? Report it here.
