Global Scans · Travel · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: How we travel, where we travel and whether we travel at all will mean tremendous change in the decades ahead.

• [New] On the other front, the demand for Car Rental services is expected to be astronomically growing in the coming years owing to the flourishing tourism sector in the UAE. MarkNtel Advisors
• [New] Abu Dhabi's Tourism Strategy 2030 targets 39.3 million visitors and 50,000 hotel rooms, while Ras Al Khaimah aims to exceed 3.5 million annual visitors by 2030, strengthening the addressable base outside Dubai. KEN research
• [New] U.S. government employees working in Israel must obtain special authorization for official travel to the West Bank due to safety risks. U.S. Embassy Jerusalem
• [New] The Qatari Tourist Bureau ensured that persons with disabilities could access hotels and tourist centers. The United Nations Office at Geneva
• [New] The foodservice segment is projected to grow at a 9.36% CAGR, powered by Dubai's hotel pipeline and the rapid scaling of international fast-food franchises. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] The partnership of Etihad Rail and Etihad Airways will enhance long-distance travel and reduce dependency on cars and domestic flights. Keltandcorealty
• [New] Recent improvements in Amtrak service create the potential for further ridership increases in the years to come - if the federal government matches Americans' increasing desire for train travel with consistent investment. Frontier Group
• [New] The Gulf Cooperation Council states, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are investing heavily in passenger terminal expansions tied to Vision 2030 and EXPO-linked tourism targets, embedding advanced detection technologies as standard security layers in new infrastructure. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Campervans are experiencing the fastest growth at 11.62% CAGR through 2031, driven by younger demographics embracing van life culture and urban professionals seeking flexible work-travel solutions. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] Major events such as the UEFA European Football Championship in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2028 are expected to stimulate renewed tourism growth. DELPORTE HOSPITALITY
• [New] Saudi Arabia registers a 12.74% CAGR outlook as Vision 2030 funds mega-resorts that target domestic and religious tourism. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the UAE Tourism Strategy 2030 anchor multi-billion-dollar destination districts that raise visitor capacity and extend the length of stay. Mordor Intelligence
• [New] By 2040, hundreds of millions of additional people are expected to travel internationally, fuelled particularly by the expansion of middle classes in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Travel Tomorrow
• [New] International travel is expected to expand from around 1.5 billion trips in 2019 to 2.4 billion by 2040, while the traditional dominance of a handful of countries gradually gives way to a more diversified tourism map. Travel Tomorrow
• [New] 82% of all travel decisions are made by women, and women are projected to control 75% of discretionary spending by 2028. Hospitality Software Solutions | IDS Next
• [New] The Middle East is forecast to become the fastest-growing Travel & Tourism region in the world between 2026 and 2036, with sector GDP expected to expand at an annual rate of 6.3%, reaching $605 billion by 2036. Hotel Online
• [New] Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is driving one of the world's fastest-growing tourism investment programmes, supported by large-scale destination projects, investor-friendly reforms and substantial public and private sector capital commitments. World Travel & Tourism Council
• [New] A pilot phase is confirmed for the last quarter of 2026, starting with a UAE-Bahrain travel corridor using QR-code validation at smart gates, before the full six-country rollout expected in late 2026 or early 2027. Dubai Visits Visa
• [New] A plethora of tourist experiences will become available in the coming years - orbital hotels, research labs, lunar missions.
• [New] Around 300,000 people globally have the appropriate net worth and desire to take part in a suborbital trip, a number that company officials predict will grow about 8% annually.
• [New] The recovery of international tourism presents significant opportunities for luxury cosmetics brands to expand through duty-free and travel retail channels across Asia. Persistence Market Research

Last updated: 29 August 2026