Tourism 2030: A Better, More Accessible Travel Experience for the Middle East

In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit - FHS Saudi Arabia, taking place from 22-24 June 2026 at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, we asked several industry partners about what's next for hospitality investment in line with this year's event theme: "Where Opportunity Meets Capital."

Tourism in the Middle East has moved decisively from aspiration to execution. In the United Arab Emirates, years of sustained investment have created one of the world’s most mature and diversified tourism ecosystems. In Saudi Arabia, an ambitious national agenda is rapidly reshaping demand, infrastructure, and investor expectations. Together, these two markets illustrate a defining shift for the region: tourism is no longer a supporting sector, but economic infrastructure.

 The next phase of growth will be judged less by announcements and more by outcomes. As Tourism 2030 agendas mature, the central question is how destinations convert policy ambition into scalable, resilient hospitality supply that supports volume without sacrificing experience.

Tourism as Economic Infrastructure

 The UAE provides a clear example of execution at scale. Visa reform, aviation connectivity, destination programming, and private-sector alignment have enabled tourism to serve multiple objectives, from international arrivals to resident engagement. The result is not just volume, but balance across leisure, business, events, and culture.

Saudi Arabia is following a different but equally deliberate path. Investment is unlocking new demand drivers while broadening participation. Cities such as Riyadh are expanding beyond business travel into entertainment, culture, and domestic leisure. In both markets, governments are not chasing visitors in isolation. They are building systems designed to absorb growth year-round.

When Demand Evolves Faster Than Supply

Policy success brings new complexity. Travel patterns are shifting quickly. Trips are more frequent, stays are shorter, and regional and domestic travellers now account for a growing share of demand. In Dubai, GCC and wider MENA markets represented around 26 percent of visitors in the first half of 2025.

These travellers value quality and consistency, but they are also price-conscious and experience-led. This has exposed a structural imbalance in hospitality supply. While luxury remains central to the region’s brand, the fastest-growing demand sits in the middle of the market. Destinations increasingly need hotels that can scale efficiently, stabilise occupancy, and support repeat visitation.

The Mid-Market as Enabler

Midscale and lifestyle hotels are no longer secondary players. They support workforce mobility, domestic tourism, SME travel, and events-driven demand without the cost structures associated with upper-upscale development.

In Saudi Arabia, around 61 percent of existing hotel inventory is still concentrated in luxury and upper-upscale segments, with nearly 78 percent of new rooms through 2030 planned at the higher end, despite rising demand for mid-market accommodation. This creates a clear opportunity to rebalance supply in line with how people actually travel today.

From a global operator perspective, the mid-market has consistently proven to be the most resilient through economic cycles. It balances value with experience and delivers dependable performance for owners and destinations.

This insight underpinned Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ decision to sign 100 Super 8 by Wyndham hotels across Saudi Arabia, one of the largest branded economy expansions in the Kingdom. The move directly supports domestic and regional travel at scale, aligning with national goals to broaden participation in tourism beyond premium destinations and price points.

Scaling Through Asset Transformation

Asset transformation is becoming a defining feature of Tourism 2030 delivery. As governments set ambitious targets and owners exercise greater capital discipline, conversions and adaptive reuse are increasingly central to growth strategies.

In the UAE, this approach is enabling established districts to evolve without relying solely on new builds. In Saudi Arabia, it is accelerating the activation of urban and secondary markets. Conversion-led growth shortens timelines, reduces risk, and supports sustainability by extending the life of existing assets.

Wyndham’s owner-first model reflects this reality. Flexible brand standards and conversion pathways allow assets to align with market demand, rather than forcing uniform development models. Asset-light growth is not just a corporate preference. It is how destinations scale responsibly.

Sustainability at Scale

Sustainability has shifted from aspiration to expectation. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have embedded environmental responsibility into national development strategies. For hospitality, this requires approaches that can be implemented at scale.

For large hotel portfolios, consistency is key. Programmes like Wyndham Green focus on embedding energy efficiency, water stewardship, and waste reduction into daily operations, helping ensure sustainability becomes a standard practice rather than a one-off initiative. In a region delivering thousands of new rooms, scalable frameworks play an important role in aligning individual properties with broader national goals.

Where Hospitality Meets Real Estate

The convergence of hospitality and real estate is also shaping Tourism 2030 outcomes. Branded residences have expanded rapidly across the UAE, driven by urbanisation, lifestyle migration, and demand for professionally managed living.

While luxury dominates perception, midscale and upper-midscale branded residences are emerging as more accessible, scalable models. Wyndham’s expansion into this space reflects how hospitality expertise can support mixed-use developments, extend destination activation, and diversify revenue streams in line with long-term planning objectives.

From Vision to Execution

Tourism 2030 will ultimately be judged by delivery. The destinations that lead the next chapter will be those that match visionary policy with hospitality models built for flexibility, speed, and inclusion.

The UAE demonstrates the value of depth and balance developed over time. Saudi Arabia highlights the power of coordinated national intent delivered at scale. In both markets, midscale and lifestyle hospitality are not filling a gap at the edges. They are forming the backbone of sustainable tourism growth across the Middle East’s most influential destinations.