The 2025 Skift Global Forum East brought together the region’s most influential travel leaders at a moment when the Middle East is quickly reshaping global tourism. This year’s conversations made one point clear: the global travel landscape is tilting toward the East as the Gulf accelerates tourism growth, expands air connectivity, and attracts a new wave of high-spending travelers. Speakers discussed how this shift affects market dynamics, visitor expectations, destination development, and long-term strategy.
Leaders also explored the rise of experiential travel, the renewed momentum in luxury, the fast-growing short-term rental economy, the cultural and economic power of major events, and the increasing pressure to build responsibly. The role of AI surfaced throughout the event as brands reconsider how travelers search, plan, and evaluate travel choices in an era of abundant but inconsistent information.
In this report, Skift partnered with the Department of Tourism and Culture – Abu Dhabi to present the most important insights and takeaways drawn directly from on-stage conversations.
Topics Covered in This Report:
- Why the Middle East is emerging as travel’s new center of gravity
- How live events and experiences are reshaping demand
- Why luxury travel continues to grow despite economic uncertainty
- How short-term rentals are expanding the accommodation landscape
- How Gulf destinations can sharpen their identity in a crowded region
- How AI is changing trip planning and consumer trust
- How destinations are rethinking branding, culture, and sustainability
About Skift
Skift is the largest industry intelligence and marketing platform in travel, providing news, information, data and services to all sectors of the world’s largest industry. Skift identifies and synthesizes existing and emerging trends, in its daily coverage of the global travel industry and through its Skift Trends Reports. Skift produces Skift Global Forum annually to bring together over 500 of the most influential professionals in the travel industry to discuss the future of travel.
