The ATM Travel Trends Report 2026 – featuring a business events section authored by ICCA – points to strong growth in international business travel across MENASA through 2030
Business events are playing an increasingly central role in the Middle East’s tourism growth story, according to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2026, now available to ICCA members via the MyICCA platform.
Published by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, the report offers a wide-ranging outlook on travel and tourism across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). For the first time, it includes a dedicated business events section authored by ICCA and produced in collaboration with Tourism Economics.
The inclusion of ICCA analysis within a major, independently produced tourism outlook is a notable step for the sector – and a clear signal that business events data is now viewed as essential to understanding the wider travel economy.
A growing share of regional arrivals
The report’s findings underline the weight business events now carry in the region. Business visits already account for a substantial share of arrivals into the GCC, while participation in association meetings across the Middle East has nearly doubled over the past decade.
Looking ahead, international business travel across MENASA is projected to grow strongly through to 2030. That growth is expected to be underpinned by continued investment in business events infrastructure, a pipeline of major events and the region’s expanding international business ties.
Structural growth across the wider region
Beyond business events, the report examines the broader MENASA tourism landscape, covering shifting source markets, visitor demand, infrastructure investment, technology, sustainability and premium travel.
It points to continued structural growth across the region, with the Middle East forecast to increase its share of global international visitor nights through 2030. The GCC is identified as a key driver of inbound growth, supported by sustained investment in tourism infrastructure, destination development and major events.
Leading with data
The report forms part of ICCA’s Lead with Data strategic pillar, which aims to make high-quality market intelligence accessible to its members. By sharing resources of this kind, the association is seeking to equip the global ICCA community with the evidence needed to track market developments, identify opportunities and make informed decisions.
For destinations, venues and organisers with an eye on the Middle East, the message is clear: the region’s business events sector is no longer an emerging story, but a core part of its tourism strategy.
ICCA members can access the ATM Travel Trends Report 2026 in MyICCA here.
