Due to shifting global economic conditions and the growing influence of regional economic plans, analysts predict that business travel expenditure from the Middle East will increase by 6.1% this year.

The case for business travel in 2025 is compelling, but revolutionary change will continue to impact how people travel for work globally, according to Catherine Logan, Regional Senior Vice President EMEA and APAC, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), who spoke at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai.

According to Logan, they include budgetary considerations, how and where they operate, technological ramifications, the development of sustainability in business travel, and the traveler's perspective.

Logan also emphasized that travel that is managed responsibly is a positive factor that advances economies, governments, enterprises, and individuals.

The Middle East has outperformed all other regions post-COVID, with spending 19.4% greater than pre-COVID levels, and accounts for 1.2% of worldwide business travel expenditures, according to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook study.

The analysis estimates that the area would spend $18.1 billion on work travel in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% in 2025.

According to Ciaran Kelly, Managing Director of Middle East & Africa at FCM Travel, the region's business travel market is expected to grow in the next years based on client patterns, surveys, and projections. She said that many of the governmental and private initiatives are to blame for the expansion. For instance, it is nearly impossible to find a ticket on an aircraft from Dubai to Riyadh, and there aren't many hotels available after you land.

Companies that wish to be resilient and competitive in a market that is changing quickly must comprehend changes in business trip expenditure, according to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, and Arabian Travel Market. IBTM@ATM sessions like this one are essential for giving our participants practical insights and analysis, enabling them to handle changing travel trends and find new possibilities in the Middle East and beyond.