Tourism Breaking News
Hyatt saw over 42,000 meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) enquiries in the Middle East in 2024, an increase of 5.2% compared to 2023, driven by a growing demand for authentic cultural experiences embedded into business trips. Hyatt’s UAE properties accounted for almost 24,000 of these enquiries, amounting to a 6.6% growth year on year. Meanwhile, Hyatt’s properties in Saudi Arabia witnessed over 7,000 MICE enquiries, up 10% versus 2023. The UAE market saw the highest number of MICE enquiries throughout the entirety of the Middle East, reflecting the popularity of Hyatt’s portfolio amongst business travellers. Exceptionally equipped for hosting large-scale events and conferences, Grand Hyatt Dubai offers event planners one of the largest exhibition centres in a hotel in the Middle East and Africa region, with 5,000 square meters of space and the capacity to hold 3,000 attendees. Across the property, the conference, meetings and events facilities combine to a total of 12,000 square meters.
This comes as global business travel spending is projected to reach $1.64 trillion in 2025, up from $1.48 trillion in 2024, according to the Global Business Travel Association, signifying strong momentum for the continued recovery and growth of the segment. With global spending expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2028, the ways in which travel companies are agile in responding to evolving customer demands is critical.
Paul Dalgleish, VP Sales, Revenue and Business Development EAME, said: “We are increasingly seeing business travellers look to make the most of trips by bolting on days to experience local surroundings. While business travel is well and truly back, there remains an undertone of cautious spending from travellers and companies, meaning this segment is more than ever about getting the highest return on investment from business trips. This also means that companies are laser-focused on delivering high-quality and engaging events that inspire productivity, requiring greater attention on unique and personalised settings, activities and F&B.”
Gareth Cummings, Regional Vice President EAME, Hyatt Sales Force, commented: “Business travellers are particularly drawn to authentic lifestyle experiences. We are seeing strong demand for meaningful connections with local surroundings, whether that’s through tasting local food, learning a new skill like beekeeping or exploring the surrounding heritage. We only see this trend growing as demand for business travel continues on its upward path, and travellers seek out the types of experiences that transform a business trip into a truly memorable experience. This is why we have ensured that across our brand bar, travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to elevating any business trip, from Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency in our Classics collection, to Lifestyle brands like Andaz and The Standard.”
