Saudi Arabia most travelled-to destination for business in Q1

Saudi Arabia was the most travelled-to destination for business, accounting for 30% of trips, followed by the UAE at 20% and Egypt at 10%, according to UAE-based B2B travel platform Tumodo.

Average trip durations were four days, split between short regional meetings and longer infrastructure assignments, particularly in Saudi. Hotel booking averages also rose to $467, up from $455 in Q4 2025. 

In air travel, trips were concentrated along the Dubai–Riyadh, Dubai–Cairo and Riyadh–Cairo routes. Emirates led the carrier share with 20% of bookings, followed by Saudia, Turkish Airlines and Flydubai.

Airfares rose to US$451 in Q1 2026 from US$439 in the previous quarter, driven by inflation. Tumodo expects further increases ahead, with fuel costs linked to the Iran war potentially pushing fares up by as much as 25%.

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Business travel across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) rose sharply in February, marking the high point of activity in Q1 2026. January’s volumes matched December 2025 levels before rising 5% over the month. Activity then climbed sharply in February, with a 20% surge in bookings marking the peak of the quarter. Momentum eased in March amid regional conflict, though performance remained 5% above January. 

The quarter mirrored Q4 2025 in total booking volumes, though Tumodo estimates growth could have reached around 25% without disruption to travel patterns in March caused by the Iran war.

Mohanad Nada, Head of GCC at Tumodo, said: "The more immediate concern for corporate travel managers right now is pricing. We expect meaningful cost increases on air travel over the coming months, and the companies that book early will be the ones that protect their budgets.”

The sector is expected to grow steadily through the remainder of the decade. Inbound travel to MENA is projected to rise 13% annually through 2030, while business travel spending is forecast to grow at 1.5 times the global average. Tumodo expects Q2 to provide a clearer view of underlying market trends.

For more information, visit tumodo.io