The Middle East travel market is experiencing one of the world’s most ambitious transformations, directly boosting online travel agency growth across the region. Vision 2030 initiatives, large-scale infrastructure projects and global mega-events are accelerating online travel agency (OTA) adoption.
Middle East travel market drives OTA growth beyond 2025
In 2025, the Essentials report conducted by Shadi Kaddoura, senior market analyst of Phocuswright, shows steady growth through 2030, creating significant opportunities for regional OTA platforms to expand services and capture new audiences. Digital channels are reshaping distribution, with online penetration expected to rise nearly 60 percent by 2028, further driving OTA usage and mobile app engagement. Furthermore, luxury and experiential offerings, sustainability initiatives and cultural reforms are redefining the region’s appeal. Additionally, these trends are positioning destinations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Egypt as global tourism powerhouses.
Market Growth Reports released new projections showing robust OTA expansion across the Middle East as digital adoption intensifies significantly. The Middle East online travel agency market is accelerating rapidly beyond 2025 supported by ambitious regional tourism initiatives and digitalization. Moreover, sustained government investments continue upgrading digital infrastructure, enabling smoother online travel experiences and significantly boosting regional OTA adoption rates.
Saudi Arabia strengthens digital travel leadership
Saudi Arabia remains the region’s growth engine, leveraging Vision 2030 programs, advancing smart tourism platforms and expanding unified digital services. Additionally, rising domestic tourism volumes strengthened digital booking habits, prompting travelers to depend on regional OTAs for convenient planning experiences. Saudi digital infrastructure investments improved connectivity nationwide, enabling smoother mobile transactions and supporting rising OTA usage among engaged younger travelers.
UAE maintains strong momentum through innovation
The UAE maintained strong momentum driven by travelers demanding personalized digital services across innovative mobile-first OTA ecosystems. Furthermore, the UAE strengthened regional leadership by deploying AI-powered recommendations, improving conversion rates and enhancing multi-channel booking journeys. Qatar and Bahrain expanded smart tourism programs, integrating real time data and personalized guidance features into OTA platforms serving preferences.
Wider regions witness rapid adoption
Wider Middle Eastern and African markets experienced accelerated OTA growth, supported by improved connectivity and increasing affordability of modern smartphones. Moreover, multilingual OTA interfaces covering Arabic French and Swahili expanded accessibility and encouraged new user adoption across previously underserved communities. Regional tourism boards partnered with OTAs, enabling real time updates, improving traveler confidence and strengthening digital journeys throughout regulatory environments.
Innovation reshapes regional competitive landscape
Saudi Arabia attracted significant OTA innovation investment, fostering development of secure payment systems and improved fraud protection across regional platforms. Additionally, blockchain-based payment solutions strengthened transaction transparency, benefiting millions of travelers booking high-value itineraries across Middle Eastern platforms. AI-powered fraud detection tools reduced fraudulent activities to improve user trust and safeguarding sensitive information processed through regional OTA systems. Augmented reality previews allowed travelers to explore destinations virtually, increasing engagement duration and influencing booking choices across digital channels platforms.
Virtual reality hotel tours enhanced decision making for leisure travelers, inspiring additional bookings and strengthening OTA relevance throughout seasonal periods. Subscription-based OTA services gained popularity, offering benefits attracting long term loyalty and securing revenue streams for regional players growth. Furthermore, green travel options gained regional momentum, prompting OTAs to highlight eco-certified accommodations and influence environmentally conscious booking behavior.
Regional outlook beyond 2025
Middle Eastern OTA growth after 2025 reflects sustained digital adoption, rising traveler expectations and continuous innovation shaping regional travel experiences. Consequently, the Middle East stands positioned for long term OTA expansion, supported by strong infrastructure investments and traveler behavior patterns.
