The Middle East destinations made a significant impact at the World Travel Market (WTM) this year, underscoring its growing role as a powerhouse in the global tourism landscape. This year’s participation highlighted the region’s ambitious vision for tourism, sustainable travel, and unique cultural experiences tailored to regional and international travelers.

The latest Global Travel Report from WTM and Oxford Economics states that international visitors to the Middle East have unequivocally doubled in just five years. This report underscores that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states spearheaded tourism in the region.

The GCC countries have established themselves as leading destinations and as significant sources of outbound tourists. Travel within the GCC has surged, reflecting a trend where residents consistently travel across borders in this subregion. As the report indicates, this demonstrates a demand akin to domestic travel patterns in many other nations.

THE NEXT BUCKET LIST DESTINATION

Saudi made a strong mark at the WTM with a core delegation of 61 key stakeholders, showcasing the country’s growth in tourism and strengthening trade partnerships with the industry.

Saudi Arabia’s offerings showcased Saudi Tourism’s pavilion, which was sprawled across two parts. The Saudi delegation was led by H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA). He was accompanied by Fahd Hamidaddin, the CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, along with leaders from the broader Saudi tourism ecosystem and notable industry partners.

Key entities include the Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Development Fund, ASFAR, Cruise Saudi, Saudia, Riyadh Air, Red Sea Global, Diriyah Company, the Royal Commission for AlUla, and visionary projects like NEOM. Cultural and entertainment highlights, including Riyadh Season, MDL Beast, and Qiddiya, were also represented, showcasing Saudi’s diverse offerings and investment in tourism innovation. For the first time at WTM, 17 international and local hotel brands joined the Saudi delegation, making it the largest number of hotel partners in the Saudi Pavilion.

“For Riyadh Air, it is about serving the kingdom, giving it far better connectivity because, at the moment, KSA is the second fastest growing economy within the G20 and isn’t well connected enough. Our mandate over 100 countries internationally by 2030, enabling the kingdom and its citizens to have far better connectivity around the world and, importantly, for the world to have far better connectivity to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the amazing attractions it has to offer, many of which are on offer here at WTM in London,” Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said.

As the country invests in tourism infrastructure, it is clear that Saudi Arabia is poised to establish itself as a premier travel destination, said Reema Al-Mokhtar, Director of Travel Trade Marketing at Red Sea Global.

“At WTM, we’re thrilled to unveil our third water resort, Shebaara, which will soon be open for bookings. Following that, our next resort, Desert Rock, will open later this year in the mountains. With these additions, we will have 16 fully operational resorts ready to serve international travelers,” she added.

Several gigaprojects of KSA had standalone pavilions for the first time, including NEOM, Diriyah, and Red Sea Development.

A KNOWN FACE TO A LOCAL DESTINATION  

Apart from KSA, several Middle East destinations made an impact at WTM.

Experience Abu Dhabi announced a two-year partnership with Hollywood couple Elsa Pataky and Chris Hemsworth, which aims to promote the Emirates as a diverse destination that offers a range of experiences for every traveler.

The campaign film unveiled at WTM, featuring the couple, highlights Abu Dhabi’s rich culture, adventure, and serene escapes.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Experience Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi’s got everything we love all in one place. The adventures have left us with amazing memories that will last a lifetime—you can tell how special it was since the kids didn’t want to leave,” Hemsworth said in a statement.

“We’re incredibly passionate about sharing Abu Dhabi with the world and are proud to have Elsa and Chris partnering with us. Their dynamic energy and love for discovery highlights everything Abu Dhabi has to offer, from inspiring cultural experiences to adventures, creating meaningful and lasting memories, all at their own pace,” H.E. Nouf Mohamed Al-Boushelaibi, Executive Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications at DCT Abu Dhabi, said.

The Middle East’s topography is much more than desert. Several exhibitors in the Middle East section at the fair are investing heavily to educate international audiences about its diverse offerings.

Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates of the UAE, has focused on the adventure, nature, and cultural offerings available in RAK.

“We are very proud that Ras Al Khaimah has experienced 18% growth in UK visitors and 12% in visitors from Ireland, year on year. One of the main drivers for this is connectivity to the UAE, with so many great flying options, and Dubai International Airport is just 45 minutes away from Ras Al Khaimah. Between now and the end of the decade, we expect to triple the number of visitors,” said Raki Phillips – CEO, of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.

“Looking ahead, we’ll see several hotels making their debut in Ras Al Khaimah in 2025, including Saij, A Mantis Collection Mountain Lodge – a sustainable retreat with 70 luxury lodges, the Westin Resort with 257 keys and Rove Al Marjan Island, a contemporary 441-room beach property catering to budget-conscious travelers,” he said.

In 2023, the destination became the first in the Middle East to earn EarthCheck’s Sustainable Destinations Silver Certification.

“The Emirate is leading the way in sustainable tourism and places responsible development at the center of all its projects and investment,” Phillips added.

Meanwhile, the Sharjah pavilion showcased Nomad, a tourism project by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) that promises offbeat experiences and safe holidaying throughout the year across the city’s coasts, mountains, and desert-scapes that joins recent ecotourism and hospitality developments Mysk Moon Retreat in the Mleiha region, the fourth installment under Shurooq’s “Sharjah Collection” brand.

“The ambition is to position Sharjah as a sustainable tourism hub through various eco-friendly projects,” Shaikha Al Shamsi, senior director of corporate and destination, marketing at Shurooq, said.

Overall, the Middle East participation highlighted the region’s ambitious vision for tourism, sustainable travel, and unique cultural experiences tailored to regional and international travelers.