Entering 2026, travel stands at a moment of renewed confidence. From strong inbound momentum to expanding outbound demand, the industry is embracing smarter growth, sustainability, technology, and deeper partnerships to drive resilience, efficiency & long-term value globally.
Mohamed Al Rais, Executive Director, Al Rais Travel
As we look ahead to 2026, the travel and aviation industry is entering a phase of smarter growth driven by technology, sustainability, and evolving customer expectations. Markets will become more dynamic with increased demand for personalised travel solutions, seamless digital experiences, and stronger airline–trade partnerships. For organisations, success will depend on agility and data-driven decision-making.
Jaal Shah, Founder and Managing Director The Travel Designer Group
Looking ahead to 2026, our focus is on steady and sustainable growth. We plan to build on the strong foundation we have created over the past few years by strengthening our core hotel business, expanding air and rail distribution, and working more closely with our partners. A key priority will be using technology and data in a practical way to improve conversion, efficiency, and overall customer experience.
Dinkar Dasaur, General Manager UAE, Satguru Travel
Building on a positive performance in 2025, Satguru Travel is well-positioned for continued growth in 2026. With a strengthening UAE economy and rising corporate travel requirements, market conditions remain encouraging. Ongoing expansion plans, coupled with the integration of advanced travel technology and data-driven solutions, are expected to enhance service delivery and scalability. The outlook appears positive.
Nuran Kilani, COO, L’azure Hospitality
Hospitality in 2026 will be defined by resilience, reinvention, and resonance. Hotel Tech will weave seamlessly into guest journeys, while sustainability evolves from aspiration to expectation. Luxury will be reimagined as authenticity where cultural depth and human connection eclipse opulence. Regional hubs like the Middle East will lead with bold innovation, blending tradition and modernity to set global benchmarks. Talent empowerment and bilingual storytelling will elevate brands into legacies. The industry’s heartbeat will be transformation.
Carlos Ruiz Gonsalez, Director, Spanish Tourist Office for the GCC, Abu Dhabi
Spain’s presence in the region remains strong. 2025 was another record year for Spain as an international tourist destination. We expect 2026 to continue this growth, attracting young travellers and GCC clients. In addition, we plan to showcase more of Spain’s emerging destinations and cultural experiences, giving visitors even more reasons to explore the country.
Raheesh Babu, Chief Operating Officer, Musafir.com
Looking ahead to 2026, we have more acquisitions planned, which will grow the Musafir portfolio further. During WTM, we launched LipJet, a corporate travel management technology solution. This was long awaited by our tech team. So, 2026 promises to be an exciting and promising year for Musafir. 2025 has been a very good year for Musafir, with acquisitions, including Sharjah National Travel and Tourism Agency and stakes in Clear Trip and Fly-In. We also opened multiple retail outlets.
Meerah Ketait, Head of Retail and Leisure – UAE dnata Travel
In 2026, we anticipate continued demand for destinations favoured by UAE travellers in 2025, including the Maldives, France, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. Early bookings for Saudi Arabia and Japan are already rising sharply year on year for Q1 2026. Travellers are increasingly seeking more complex, personalised itineraries, from multi stop journeys to deeply curated experiences.
Christian Potvin, General Manager, Cheval Maison Expo City, Dubai
The year has been amazing for Cheval Maison Expo City. Just opening in March 2025, it was a great start. Through the summer, our team came together exceptionally well. But 2026 is going to be massive. It will be a great year with more collaborations with Expo City Dubai, ensuring a win-win situation for guests and staff. As Expo City Dubai evolves, we will also evolve.
Ivan Mavrov, Business Development Manager Concierge ONE Tourism
The year has been great for Concierge ONE Tourism. We completed many projects started last year. For 2026, we are ambitious, focusing on improving inbound and outbound traffic between the United Arab Emirates and Europe, especially Bulgaria. We also plan to create interactive cultural experience packages blended with technology and data-driven solutions. Additionally, we aim to invest more in enhancing customer experiences, following the latest trends.
Yamina Sofo, Director – Marketing & Sales Office, GNTO GCC
For 2026, our focus in the GCC is straightforward: keep Germany visible, relevant, and easy to plan — and do it in a way that speaks to how travellers discover destinations. We’ll continue our year-round trade and media activity across the region, while working closely with German partners to bring fresh product and new stories. On the consumer side, we are building digital-first campaigns.
Francisco Marti Ramos, Founder and Partner, Taylor Travel Management Group
As we look ahead to 2026, the travel industry will continue to embrace AI and automation to drive efficiency, particularly across back-end processes and administrative functions. However, in the luxury travel segment, technology alone will never replace the value of human expertise. High-net-worth travellers increasingly seek personalised, responsive and relationship-driven service, especially as itineraries become more complex and fluid.
Ahmed Soliman, Managing Director, TCA PR
2026 is likely to be an excellent year for travel from the GCC. Travellers from this region are placing value and authenticity as a key factor in their decisions, with emerging destinations gaining interest over traditional destinations. Travellers are looking at experience-driven travel, such as cultural festivals, nature experiences, and wellbeing retreats. Luxury still remains in high demand, although the concept of what luxury means to the individual has shifted significantly. Keeping that in mind, we will decide our course in 2026.
Afi Ahmed, Chairman, Smart Travel Group
In 2026, we project daily operations to triple, and ticketing to double. With nearly 2,500 agencies now, we aim to reach 5,000 agencies in the UAE. We are also launching SmartJet.com in India, Saudi Arabia, other GCC countries, and the UK next year. This expansion marks a major milestone for us.
Inputs by Dr Shehara Rizly Fernando
