2025: Year of greater sustainability

The tourism and hospitality sectors are gearing up for a transformative 2025, driven by optimism and a renewed focus on sustainability. The industry is now prioritising climate action as an important agenda to future-proof its growth. Experts predict a dynamic year ahead, marked by shifting travel patterns and a wave of innovative projects.

Dr Shehara Rizly

Taking the whole of Arabia, as everyone refers to the Middle East, the nations have already come together to solve the pressing problem of climate change. Individually as countries and collectively as a region, they have become more aware, not just by talking about the situation at large but by taking simple actions to ensure that the small planet earth we live in can look at much brighter years in future. Many plans have been announced over the last few months collectively on the subject but individually their focus on sustainability is another element that helps the whole well-being of every industry. As a resilient region combating various challenges over the past years, Middle East is positive to enjoy a much better year with all its new projects slowly opening to the visitors. The experiential tourism sector in the region will grow even better, share some of the industry experts with TRAVTALK.

Ageel Alshaibani, Deputy Minister of Strategic Planning & Monitoring, MoT, KSA
Tourism has a unique opportunity to lead in advancing sustainable development. Through Sustainable Tourism Global Center, we are committed to creating a tourism sector that contributes positively to the environment, strengthens local communities, and provides a model for responsible growth. Our initiatives are designed to empower governments, businesses, and communities alike to take bold steps.

Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer, Wego
As you all know, the air travel industry has been experiencing strong growth this year, and this trend is expected to continue into next year. We are seeing a significant growth rate, and we are planning for an even bigger year in 2025. What we are adding now are a range of extra services and value-added offerings. For example, customers can now purchase eSIMs, book car rentals through Wego.

Amro Nagah, General Manager, Swissotel Al Murooj Dubai
I believe, 2025 will be a year of greater sustainability and a stronger focus on being green. We will prioritise taking care of every individual and ensuring satisfaction across all aspects—whether for our owning company, operator, management, or team members. For me, 2025 will be a continuation of our achievements and success. Dubai has always been a market leader, and, it remains at the forefront.

Sapna Aidasani, Head of Marketing & PR, Pluto Travels
In 2025, our main focus is expanding into Saudi Arabia. We are planning to open our offices there soon, as it’s a market where our clients are actively encouraging us to establish a presence and launch our travel services. Another key focus for 2025 is the cruise industry. Dubai has been thriving in the cruise sector, and we look forward to welcoming more clients for MICE groups on cruises.

Michael Goetz, General Manager, Movenpick Jumeirah Beach
In 2025, we will build on the success of 2024, with a strong focus on further investing in ESG initiatives to minimise our hotel’s environmental impact. We are making significant investments in state-of-the-art room technologies, which will enable us to further reduce energy and water consumption, as well as our CO2 footprint. Additionally, we will continue to invest in the development of our teams to ensure excellence in everything we do.

Matthew Vlemmiks, Leisure Manager, dnata Travel
At dnata Travel, we reported in 2024 an increasing interest from UAE travellers in more complex itineraries. We anticipate continued interest in unique, experiential, and adventurous destinations this year, supported by the ever-growing network of direct flights from the region to new and trending locations. This kind of travel often requires high levels of customer service and personalised destination knowledge.

Anabela Radosevic, Manager Sales & Services, Arabian Adventures
At Arabian Adventures, a growing trend we are witnessing with global travellers is a need for immersive destination experiences, such as tours that discover local gastronomy or that can discover a destination’s ‘hidden gems’ through unique accommodation, educational, entertainment, or shopping options. Our projections for 2025 remain positive and in line with Dubai’s overall growth trajectory, fuelled by new destination offerings.

Elias Saad, Hotel Manager, Royal M Hotel By Gewan, Abu Dhabi
For 2025, we are excited about Coldplay’s upcoming concert in Abu Dhabi, which will be a major boost for the tourism sector, attracting a large number of visitors. Additionally, at Gewan, we are working on implementing our first hydro plant at our hotel in the UAE. This plant will use seawater, helping us manage water resources more sustainably. In 2025, we are also focusing on the installation of solar panels.

John Raffoul, General Manager, Cheval Maison The Palm, Dubai
We will continue building on the success stories of 2024, focusing on maintaining strong online reputation and consistently driving performance, aligning with both our concept and market trends. Our goal is to keep our stakeholders satisfied by delivering outstanding results and, hopefully, exceeding expectations. Sustainability will remain a core priority for us; we will continue to advance our sustainability initiatives.

Arjit Paul, Director – Sales & Marketing, Movenpick Grand Al Bustan
We aim to continue on the same path, expanding our efforts to make them even bigger and better. We are projecting a 15 per cent rise in demand and a nearly 20 per cent growth in deliveries. This includes hosting similar types of events, such as MICE events, product launches, and activities across sectors like pharma, automotive, beauty, and weddings, ranging from small to large scale. We are witnessing a growing interest from diverse nationalities.

Ahmed Ibrahim, Director – Sales & Marketing, The Tower Plaza Hotel
In line with Dubai’s aim to be budget-friendly, we foresee growth in value-driven offerings, like extended-stay options and family packages, without compromising on quality and the unique Dubai experience. We project increased demand for affordable accommodation and bundled experiences. This includes attractive packages, accessible dining options, and streamlined booking processes.

Dean Rossilli, Senior Vice President, DAMAC Hospitality
In 2025, our key focus will be on sustainability and really looking internally at our gateway to developing our overall guest-centric return ratios and working alongside partners like Kabinsky, Pan Pacific, and so forth. As we move throughout 2025 again, we will focus on our sustainability, on our people development, who are our key asset, and focusing on you, the clients. We see increased demand for affordable accommodation and immersive experiences.

Ayman Al Qudwa, General Manager, Falcon Travel
In 2025, Qatar and the wider Middle East are poised for significant growth in tourism, fuelled by mega projects and prestigious events. Qatar’s ‘Land of Legends’ in Sumaisma and the anticipated Expo 2030 in Riyadh are expected to attract global visitors, enhancing regional collaboration. The excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2034 in Saudi Arabia will also drive interest in neighbouring countries.

Prem Sagar, Group General Manager, Al Rais Travel & Shipping Agencies LLC
In 2025, personalised travel experiences, eco-tourism, and technology-driven solutions will dominate. Travellers will prioritise cultural immersion and environmentally viable options, favouring destinations that offer authentic local experiences and sustainability. The integration of AI, contactless services, and dynamic pricing models will reshape customer interactions. Direct connectivity will increase demand, while proximity will play key role in destination selection.