Speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 in Dubai, Tourism Economics EMEA Managing Director Dave Goodger said global travel reached record levels in 2025, with total visitor numbers and overnight stays increasing by 16 percent compared with 2019 to reach 24 billion, while destination spending rose by 26 percent to US$7.2 trillion. Goodger noted that the number of international visitors surpassed 1.5 billion for the first time, emphasizing that the MENASA region played an important role in this growth.
In 2025, total travel volume across the MENASA region was nearly 50 percent above 2019 levels. Goodger emphasized that this figure was three times the growth recorded globally.
Conflicts To Affect Travel, But Growth Expected In 2027
Geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East is expected to affect the travel market in 2026, but Goodger said a strong recovery is expected in 2027. International travel is expected to grow by 8 percent globally and by 17 percent across MENASA next year.
By 2030, international travel across MENASA is expected to reach 316 million visitors and 2.3 billion visitor nights, generating US$408 billion in spending. These figures represent increases of 36 percent, 46 percent and 55 percent, respectively, compared with 2025.
