Rapid aviation expansion across the Middle East is set to accelerate tourism growth, strengthen hotel demand, destination connectivity and investment across the region’s hospitality sector.
Middle East air passenger growth
According to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2025, Middle East air passenger demand is projected to grow significantly by 2030. Developed with Tourism Economics an Oxford Economics company, the report links growth to ambitious tourism strategies and airport performance regionwide. Moreover, Middle East air travel demand is forecast to increase 23 percent between 2025 and 2030 across regional aviation markets.
Fleet expansion strengthens growth
Leading Gulf carriers Emirates Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Saudia have placed nearly 780 aircraft orders with Boeing Airbus. Consequently, these large aircraft orders highlight long-term airline confidence in global travel demand and tourism growth across the Middle East. According to the report, Middle East airlines represent 12 percent of all new unfilled aircraft orders worldwide today across markets. Importantly, GCC carriers alone account for 93 percent of these aircraft orders, reinforcing regional tourism investment momentum and hospitality sector expansion.
Global airline connectivity
Expanding fleet capacity continues to strengthen Middle East global connectivity linking major tourism business and leisure destinations worldwide with increasing frequency. For example, Qatar Airways now serves more than 170 destinations worldwide demonstrating the airline’s growing international network reach and visitor accessibility. Similarly, Etihad Airways expects to operate more than 110 aircraft connecting passengers to over 90 destinations worldwide by late 2025. Emirates operates flights to 140 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Pacific regions today. Meanwhile, Saudia provides direct services to more than 90 international destinations strengthening Saudi Arabia’s tourism growth and hospitality sector development.
Bahrain luxury travel gateway
Luxury airline Beond announced plans to establish operations in Bahrain, supporting the kingdom’s expanding luxury tourism sector and hospitality growth. Furthermore, Malaysia-based AirAsiaX selected Bahrain as a regional bridge connecting Asia and Europe, boosting tourism flows and hotel demand.
Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, ATM acknowledged the importance of aviation. She said: “Middle Eastern carriers connect hundreds of destinations across six continents. This firmly establishes the region as one of the most strategically connected aviation hubs in the world. This unmatched connectivity is accelerating inbound and outbound tourism growth, strengthening global trade corridors, advancing business events and deepening cultural exchange between markets.”
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