According to a report by Tumodo, the UAE-based online business travel platform, the third quarter experienced an unexpected pattern due to political volatility in the region, which initially caused closures of some airports and widespread trip cancellations across the region.
However, September emerged as the busiest booking month of the quarter, driven by post-crisis recovery and the end of vacation season.
The quarter's performance reinforces the broader MENA market trajectory, which reached $18.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at 6.1% year-on-yearforecasts indicate the regional market will hit $270.8 billionaverages.
Major Destinations in the MENA region
According to Tumodo’s internal data, Saudi Arabia (20%) and the UAE (15%) retained their positions as the region’s leading business travel hubs throughout Q3, driving market growth despite external challenges. The regional hierarchy remains consistent with previous quarters, followed by Egypt, Qatar, and emerging markets, including Morocco, Bahrain, and Oman.
The most popular routes in Q3 included Dubai – Kuala Lumpur, Dubai – Riyadh and London – Dubai.
Prices
In Q3, the average hotel booking value stood at $169, rising from August as the vacation season came to a close. Air bookings averaged $499.9, with Emirates leading traveller preferences at 20.75%, followed by Turkish Airlines (10.41%), Flydubai (4.58%), Qatar Airways (3.15%) and Air France (2.72%).
Trip patterns
Tumodo’s Q3 data indicate a shift toward shorter business trips across the MENA region, where 1–2-day trips dominate, accounting for 9% and 7%, respectively. Longer stays held steady, with 7-day trips at 4%. The data reflects diverse business requirements across MENA markets, ranging from brief regional meetings to extended project consultations, particularly as mega-projects in Saudi Arabia, such as NEOM and world championships, continue to attract international expertise.
As the MENA region advances its economic diversification beyond oil and gas, focusing on technology, finance, and infrastructure, the Q3 recovery pattern sets a solid foundation for ongoing growth. The September surge, combined with the end-of-vacation season effects, suggests strong momentum entering Q4 2025.
Mohanad Nada, Head of GCC at Tumodo, highlighted:
"The recovery we witnessed in Q3, particularly the 30% surge above expectations, demonstrates the resilience of the MENA business travel market and its ability to adapt to changing conditions while maintaining growth."
The broader market fundamentals support continued optimism, with inbound travel to MENA projected to grow 13% annuallygrow 1.5 times faster than the global average.
News Source: Tumodo
