Middle East Tourism to Hit $350B by 2030

Tourism spending in the Middle East is expected to grow sharply, reaching nearly $350 billion annually by 2030. This forecast comes from the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Travel Trends Report 2025, created by Tourism Economics. The report predicts a nearly 50 percent increase in tourism expenditure compared to 2024 levels. Growth is driven by expanding leisure, business, luxury, and sports travel sectors.

The report states that Middle East travel spending in 2025 will be 54 percent higher than in 2019 before the pandemic. Spending is expected to rise 7 percent each year from 2025 to 2030. The region’s national strategies, improved connectivity, and infrastructure developments support this growth.

Inbound travel from outside the Middle East is set to grow by 13 percent annually through 2030. Outbound business travel from the region is forecasted to increase 9 percent yearly, surpassing global averages. Europe remains the top source of leisure visitors, accounting for half of all tourists. India and the United Kingdom are leading markets for international leisure travel, followed by China, where spending is projected to more than double by 2030. Visitors from Asia Pacific and Africa are also expected to more than double their tourism nights in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the main origins for outbound regional travelers, with Thailand and the UK among the top long-haul destinations. Travelers to the Middle East spend more on luxury experiences compared to visitors to other regions, which helps boost tourism revenues.

The aviation sector in the Middle East is expanding rapidly to meet demand. The four largest carriers—Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Saudia—have ordered nearly 780 new aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. This investment is part of the region’s plan to become a leading global aviation and business travel hub, benefiting from its geographic position between Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Business travel is expected to grow faster than the global average, with spending rising 1.5 times more quickly through 2030. The region is becoming popular for ‘bleisure’ travel, a combination of business and leisure, as more companies choose Middle Eastern cities for conferences and events.

Luxury tourism is growing rapidly in the Middle East. High-net-worth travelers are seeking premium experiences, cultural richness, and top hospitality. Global luxury leisure spending is expected to reach $390 billion by 2028, with the Middle East capturing a larger share. The region has over 170 luxury hotels, with almost 100 located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia is investing in large projects to attract wealthy tourists and strengthen its luxury tourism sector.

Sports tourism is also expanding quickly. Following major events like Expo 2020 Dubai and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the region expects a 63 percent growth in sports tourism. The upcoming 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia is likely to boost this trend even further. Investments in golf, motorsports, football, cycling, and esports are increasing demand for flights, accommodation, and related services, benefiting the broader tourism economy.

The Arabian Travel Market is the Middle East’s largest travel and tourism exhibition, held annually at the Dubai World Trade Center. The 2025 event attracted over 55,000 industry professionals from 166 countries, a 16 percent increase from the previous year. The next ATM will take place from May 4 to 7, 2026, continuing to be a key platform for global travel cooperation and innovation.