Among key hotel markets in Middle East & Africa, Jordan and Qatar realized the only month-over-month gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) improvements, according to STR’s May 2023 P&L data release.
The latest Middle East & North Africa tourism statistics from top-performing countries based on the latest third-party and TrustYou data [2022-2023]
Key markets in the Middle East are showing a spike in hotel occupancy on the books during Eid al-Fitr, according to STR’s Forward STAR data.
Different from other world regions, the Middle East is operating from a position of economic strength with 2023 approaching. That bodes well for the hospitality industry, but a looming recession in key source markets will likely create challenges given the Middle East’s historic reliance on international inbound travel.
Employment in the sector set to double by 2032 - Sector expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by next year
Travel & Tourism GDP set to outstrip the overall economy for the next 10 years
As there is much talk about travel recovery around the world, first with the Americas leading in 2021 and again in 2022, the travel data experts at ForwardKeys are noticing the first taste of recovery in Africa and the Middle East.
New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the Travel & Tourism sector in the Middle East could reach US$246 billion this year, just 8.9% behind pre-pandemic levels.
The ForwardKeys team of travel experts have been closely monitoring the winds of change in the travel sector since the pandemic unleased, and up until recently, the air ticketing data was showing the Americas, especially the Caribbean, as the sole game changers when it comes to real-time travel recovery. However, Africa and the Middle East are also proving to be much more resilient.
Several countries in the Middle East have been racing ahead of the rest of the world in vaccination rollout. The United Arab Emirates is a prime example with more than 86% of its population fully vaccinated as of 25 October 2021, according to STR.