Tumodo, the MENA-based online business travel platform, reports on corporate travel pricing, demand, and destination trends across the region for Q2 and H1 2026. Despite the regional disruptions, business travel in the Middle East and North Africa is growing faster than the global average, forecast to reach $270.8 billion by 2030.
According to Tumodo’s data, April was the busiest booking month of H1 2026, outpacing the February peak seen in Q1. Volumes held elevated through May and June, delivering the stronger Q2 Tumodo had anticipated at the close of Q1.
Routes and destinations
European corridors topped the MENA business travel rankings for the first time in H1 2026. Dubai-London ranked first in bookings, followed by Dubai-Berlin. Intra-MENA routes followed: Riyadh-Dubai, Dubai-Cairo, Riyadh-Cairo, and Dubai-Riyadh.
The shift tracks a broader expansion of UAE airline capacity into Europe. Emirates, Air Arabia, and Etihad all launched or increased European routes in 2026. Including new services to London, Berlin, Frankfurt, and Helsinki.
Prices
Average air ticket prices rose from $389 in January to $567 in June, a 45.6% increase over H1, with May peaking at $598. February was the period’s low at $374, before a sharp March recovery to $539.
Average air ticket prices rose from $389 in January to $567 in June, a 45
6% increase over H1, with May peaking at $598. February was the period’s low at $374, before a sharp March recovery to $539. The Iran conflict, which began in late February, pushed crude above $100 a barrel and drove up jet fuel costs across the region. The outcome confirmed and exceeded Tumodo’s Q1 warning of up to 25% fare increases.
Hotel night rates moved counter to airfares, falling from $180 in January to $156 in April before recovering to $169 in June, ending H1 6% below the January level.
Trip patterns
The average business trip in H1 2026 lasted two to three days, down from four days in Q1. Short meetings and executive sessions continued to drive the bulk of activity across the region’s major corridors.
As for airlines, Emirates was the most-used carrier at 25%, followed by Saudia (20%) and Turkish Airlines (17%).
Mohanad Nada, Head of GCC at Tumodo, said, “April delivered what we expected after Q1. Dubai-London and Dubai-Berlin at the top is a first, and it tells you MENA businesses are now moving heavily between the Gulf and Europe. On pricing, the 46% airfare move across H1 exceeded even our projections. Companies that locked in bookings early avoided the worst of it. With hotels running softer, the right move for H2 is to secure accommodation now and plan air well in advance.”
Inbound travel to MENA is projected to grow 13% annually through 2030, with business travel spending expected to grow 1.5 times faster than the global average. A planned unified GCC tourist visa, modelled on Europe’s Schengen framework, is expected to add further impetus to cross-border corporate travel. Tumodo expects H2 2026 airfare levels to remain elevated, with the European corridor set to develop further.
About Tumodo
Based in the UAE, Tumodo is an online B2B travel platform that helps businesses manage and optimise corporate travel. The platform combines AI algorithms, a user-friendly interface, and round-the-clock support to let companies plan and book trips in minutes, with savings of up to 35% on travel costs.
