Corporate travel spend in Middle East to rise 32% in 2022

Business travel spending outstripped leisure travel in 2021, says WTTC 

According to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32% this year, following a predicted 49% increase during 2021.

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) exhibition director for the Middle East, Danielle Curtis said: “During 2021, the increase in business spending for the full year is expected to have actually outpaced spending on leisure travel by 13%, 10% and 1% in the Middle East, Europe and Africa respectively.

“Aviation experts speaking at ATM 2021 had expected business travel to lag behind leisure travel, but this estimated increase of 32%, comes on top of a predicted rise during 2021 of 49%. Although 2020 was a challenging year, the business travel segment is now clearly accelerating towards pre pandemic levels.” 

In terms of business travel spending in 2021, the report ranks the Middle East region first with an increase of 49%, followed by Europe and Africa (36%), Asia Pacific (32%) and the Americas (14%).

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Curtis added: “Business travel will be under the spotlight this year on the ATM Global Stage, where the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organisation, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), will discuss its latest business travel content and research, during two main sessions: ‘The future of Business Travel’ and ‘Building a Sustainable Business Travel Programme’.”

Now in its 29th year, ATM 2022 will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9 to 12 May 2022, in collaboration with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) – formerly the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

For more information, visit wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html