Business travel across the Middle East and North Africa outpaced global growth in the first half of 2026, even as regional disruptions pushed airfares up sharply and reshaped where executives are flying, according to new data from MENA travel platform Tumodo.
April emerged as the busiest booking month of H1 2026, surpassing February's Q1 peak, with strong volumes carrying through May and June. The sector is now forecast to reach $270.8 billion by 2030.
For the first time, European routes topped MENA's business travel rankings. Dubai-London led all bookings, followed by Dubai-Berlin, ahead of established intra-regional corridors like Riyadh-Dubai and Dubai-Cairo. The shift coincides with expanded European capacity from Emirates, Air Arabia and Etihad, which added or grew services to London, Berlin, Frankfurt and Helsinki this year.
Pricing told a starker story. Average air ticket prices climbed from $389 in January to $567 in June, a 45.6% rise, peaking at $598 in May. The Iran conflict, which began in late February, pushed crude oil above $100 a barrel, driving jet fuel costs higher and confirming Tumodo's earlier warning of fare increases as high as 25%. Hotel rates moved in the opposite direction, dipping to $156 in April before recovering to $169 in June, still 6% below January levels.
Trip lengths also shortened, averaging two to three days in H1, down from four in Q1, as short meetings and executive sessions dominated travel activity. Emirates remained the most-used carrier at 25%, followed by Saudia and Turkish Airlines.
Mohanad Nada, Tumodo's Head of GCC, said companies that booked early avoided the steepest fare hikes and advised securing hotels now while planning air travel further ahead for H2.
Inbound travel to the region is projected to grow 13% annually through 2030, with a proposed unified GCC tourist visa expected to further boost cross-border corporate travel.
News Source: PR Hub
