Corporate travel and entertainment expenditure across the Gulf has proven resilient through a turbulent summer, according to fresh data from corporate travel platform Tumodo and ticketing firm Platinumlist. The figures, covering the MENA region, show a 34.2% year-on-year increase in business travel bookings, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the primary growth engine.
Among Saudi cities, Jeddah recorded the strongest surge at 33.9%, followed by Dammam at 22.2% and Riyadh at 18%. Cairo, a key regional hub, saw bookings climb 14.5%. The most heavily trafficked routes were Riyadh–Jeddah, Dubai–Riyadh, and Cairo–Riyadh, reflecting the deepening economic ties between the Kingdom and its neighbours.
Longer trips, higher fares, softer hotel rates
The report also highlights a shift in travel behaviour. Average airfares rose to $627, up 14.6% year on year, while hotel rates eased to $137 per night, an 8% decline. More notably, the average trip duration extended from 4.2 to 6.5 days, and business class bookings increased from 6.1% to 8.6% of total bookings. This suggests that travellers are consolidating their itineraries and prioritising fewer, more purposeful journeys.
Andrew Baturin, Chief Marketing Officer at Tumodo, commented: “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.” That trend aligns with broader patterns of Saudi tourism growth defying regional instability, as noted in a separate study.
Entertainment spending rebounds
On the entertainment side, UAE live event bookings returned to year-on-year growth in June. Arabic music events saw bookings more than quadruple, while comedy shows doubled. Football-related activities, including Eid fixtures and World Cup fan zones, also attracted substantial audiences.
Cosmin Ivan, CEO of Platinumlist, said: “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.” This pattern of deliberate, value-conscious spending mirrors the corporate travel data, suggesting a regional consumer mindset that favours quality over quantity.
The findings come amid a broader regional push to diversify economies and boost tourism. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has spurred major entertainment and hospitality investments, including new venues like the SEVEN entertainment hub in Abha. Meanwhile, industry forecasts point to sustained growth: ATM 2026 research signals a 47.7% spending surge in the Middle East and Africa by 2030.
For travel professionals, the data underscores the importance of flexibility and premium offerings. The rise in business class take-up and longer stays suggests that corporate clients are willing to invest in comfort and productivity, even as they tighten overall budgets. Hoteliers may need to adjust pricing strategies, given the softening in average daily rates, while airlines could capitalise on the strong demand on key domestic and regional routes.
The report concludes that the trend of deliberate spending in both corporate travel and entertainment is likely to persist into the second half of the year, offering a measure of stability in an otherwise volatile geopolitical landscape.
