Gulf Energy Sector Drives Business Travel Surge: Key Insights for 2025

Business travel across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is experiencing a significant resurgence in 2025, driven by economic diversification efforts, increased foreign investment, and major infrastructure projects. This uptick is particularly evident in energy hubs such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where non-oil sector growth is projected to reach 4.2% this year, up from 1.8% in 2024.

Gulf Business Travel Reaches New Heights

The GCC’s focus on reducing reliance on hydrocarbons has led to substantial investment in tourism, real estate, and industrial sectors. These initiatives have not only attracted global partnerships and capital but have also driven the need for increased corporate mobility to support operations, on-site coordination, and regional project oversight.

As a result, demand for business travel has surged—particularly in cities like Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Doha—where multinational firms are scaling activity in line with national development programmes.

Factors Driving the Increase

Several key trends are accelerating corporate travel across the region:

• Economic Diversification Initiatives: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s industrial and sustainability strategies have triggered a wave of projects and international partnerships.
• Infrastructure Development: Mega-projects like NEOM, the Etihad Rail, and newly launched free zones are drawing in engineering, consultancy, and logistics firms from across the globe.
• Tourism Growth: The UAE’s tourism sector continues to expand, with hotel revenues reaching AED 45 billion ($12.3 billion) in 2024—demonstrating the region’s growing capacity to accommodate high volumes of international visitors and business travellers.

Key Sectors Driving Travel Demand

While energy remains central, corporate travel into the Gulf is increasingly being driven by activity in adjacent and emerging sectors. In 2025, the following sectors are particularly active:

• Green and Blue Hydrogen: With heavy investment in clean fuels, hydrogen-related summits, site visits, and collaborations are attracting international stakeholders.
• Digital Infrastructure: Smart city developments, digital twins, and 5G rollouts are drawing increased travel from IT consultants, engineers, and digital service providers.
• Transport and Logistics: Expanding ports and freight corridors are increasing demand for on-site inspections, planning sessions, and cross-border logistics management.
• Construction and Urban Planning: Projects like The Line in NEOM and major expansions in Abu Dhabi continue to draw global specialists in planning, architecture, and construction.

Implications for Corporate Travel

For companies operating across the region, the rebound in business travel brings both opportunity and operational complexity. To capitalise on this momentum, travel managers should focus on three key areas:

• Policy Review: Internal travel policies should be revisited to ensure they reflect rising volumes, current market rates, and compliance requirements. Working with a travel partner that can benchmark performance and advise on best-in-market practices will help organisations stay aligned with business objectives while effectively mandating and supporting policy adoption.
• Strategic Planning: Travel spend should be aligned with priority projects, key milestones, and broader business development goals. Utilising technology to streamline processes, enforce policy, manage approvals, and eliminate manual tasks will drive both efficiency and cost control—helping to future-proof your travel programme. In addition, implementing a business plan with continuous improvement goals and assigning a dedicated Strategic Account Manager ensures accountability and delivery against agreed objectives.
• Local Engagement: Partnering with local suppliers and maintaining strong regional awareness helps improve cost control and operational efficiency. Regional consolidation delivers both direct and indirect cost benefits, supports localisation requirements, and—when managed by the right provider—can unlock access to global, NDC, and third-party supplier content. This approach helps overcome fragmented distribution and increases overall purchasing power.

Travel Management Takeaways

To stay ahead of the curve in 2025, travel managers in the energy sector should consider:

• Consolidating supplier agreements with regional airlines and accommodation providers in key locations like Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Muscat to ensure consistency, duty of care, and cost efficiency.
• Aligning travel budgets with major project phases, supported by strategic account management and real-time regional insights from a partner who understands the logistics of energy-related travel.
• Leveraging travel data and analytics to monitor spend, emissions, and traveller behaviour—enabling smarter decision-making without compromising safety or compliance.
• Using centralised booking platforms that integrate with approval workflows and policy controls, helping energy companies enforce consistency across teams and locations.

Supporting Energy Sector Travel

With strong government backing, sustained foreign investment, and a growing calendar of international energy events, business travel across the Gulf is set to remain on an upward trajectory throughout 2025. For companies in the energy sector, this represents both opportunity and complexity. Those that invest in tailored, data-driven travel programmes—designed to support project-based mobility, compliance, and regional agility—will be best positioned to move confidently and competitively through this fast-evolving market.

ATPI’s Middle East experts help energy companies stay ahead in a complex travel landscape. Discover how our sector-specific solutions keep your operations moving smoothly. Contact us to learn more.