Travel and Tourism is one of the key sectors that play a pivotal role in any country’s economy and make a significant contribution to the country’s GDP. The global growth in travel and tourism activities has led to the rise of travel intermediaries, making them an important part of selling travel products to customers.
The market size of the travel and tourism sector in the Middle East and Africa reached a value of $20 billion in 2021, with 60% contribution from the in-store sector and the remaining 40% from the online sector. In recent years, the rise in the number of online travel intermediaries was aided by the growth in the number of internet users along with the demand for convenience among travelers further supported the rise in the market for online travel Intermediaries.
Even though there has been a rise in the number of online travel intermediaries, in-store travel still has its relevance and has been growing steadily for the past few years as it provides a sense of security, especially for the elderly who are generally skeptical of the usage of online platforms.
The travel and tourism market in the Middle East and Africa grew by 25% in 2021 with in-store growth of 23% and online growth of 28%, as the sector witnessed a recovery in the demand after easing the restrictions which were placed on account of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and travel intermediaries’ sharp rise in travel products as the consumers planned their travel activities after the gap of almost two years.
Meanwhile, the growth which the travel and tourism sector was going to see was reversed with the pandemic which completely devastated the industry in 2020. During the year 2020, the market value of the travel sector in the Middle East and Africa region saw a de-growth of a mammoth 67%, accounting for $33 billion.
Key travel destinations among travelers in the Middle East and Africa include Dubai, Istanbul, Cairo, Petra, and Cape Town among others.
The travel and tourism market in the Middle East and Africa grew at a CAGR of negative 15% during the period 2017-2021. Before 2020, the industry in the Middle East and Africa was growing at a good pace even though the global market was witnessing slow growth.
The major companies with a strong presence in the travel market in the Middle East and Africa include Aer Rianta International, Dufry AG, Holiday Me, Expedia, and Musafir among others.
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