Middle East Travel Awards 2025
Celebrating excellence in Middle East travel and hospitality
The Middle East Travel Revolution
The Middle East has undergone the most dramatic transformation in global tourism of any region in the 21st century. Dubai, once a modest fishing village on the Arabian Gulf, now consistently ranks among the world's top ten most-visited cities. Qatar has emerged as an international aviation and hospitality powerhouse. And Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme — the most ambitious tourism investment strategy in history, committing over $200 billion to travel and leisure infrastructure — is reshaping perceptions of an entire region. The Middle East travel revolution is well and truly underway.
The UAE's tourism sector, anchored by the extraordinary hotel landscape of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, represents one of the world's most concentrated collections of luxury hospitality. From the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab — the planet's most photographed hotel — to the remarkable over-water villas and desert glamping experiences that have proliferated across the Emirates, the UAE has redefined what is possible in luxury accommodation. Dubai welcomed over 17 million international visitors in 2023, a figure set to grow dramatically as new attractions, infrastructure, and hotel openings continue at pace.
Saudi Arabia's transformation is equally dramatic. NEOM, the futuristic linear city; Diriyah, the restored ancestral home of the Saudi royal family turned cultural tourism destination; AlUla, an extraordinary landscape of ancient nabataean ruins; and the Red Sea Project, a collection of ultra-luxury island resorts — represent just a fraction of the developments reshaping Saudi Arabia from a country with almost no leisure tourism infrastructure into one of the world's most exciting new destinations.
The Middle East Travel Awards celebrates the extraordinary pace and ambition of this region's travel industry — recognising brands in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, and Turkey that are setting new global standards for luxury hospitality, airline excellence, desert experiences, and cultural tourism.
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Recognising the Region's Most Outstanding Travel Brands
From Gulf airlines operating the world's most advanced aircraft to desert resorts redefining luxury and heritage tourism brands unlocking the ancient wonders of the Arabian Peninsula — the Middle East Travel Awards covers the full breadth of this rapidly evolving region.
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Best Luxury Hotel Middle East
Recognising the UAE, Saudi, Qatar, and wider Gulf region's finest luxury hotel properties for excellence in service, design, and guest experience.
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Best Gulf Airline
Celebrating Gulf carriers — Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and others — delivering world-leading passenger experience and network connectivity.
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Best Desert Resort
Honouring extraordinary desert resorts and glamping experiences across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Jordan that have pioneered luxury in extreme environments.
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Best Heritage Tourism
Celebrating the Middle East's extraordinary ancient heritage — from Petra to AlUla, Diriyah to Luxor — and the operators making it accessible to global visitors.
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Best Yacht & Marine Experience
Recognising luxury yacht operators, marina resorts, and marine experience providers delivering world-class ocean-based experiences in the Gulf and Red Sea.
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Best DMC Middle East
Honouring destination management companies across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and wider Gulf delivering outstanding group travel and MICE experiences.
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Best Tourism Board Middle East
Celebrating national and regional tourism authorities that are most effectively positioning Middle Eastern destinations on the global travel map.
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Best Business Hotel
Recognising the Gulf's premier business and MICE hotels offering world-class meeting facilities, connectivity, and executive hospitality experiences.
Nominate →The Middle East's Most Dynamic Travel Markets
From the futuristic skyline of Dubai to the ancient wonders of Petra and the pristine beaches of Muscat — the Middle East offers a travel experience unlike any other on earth.
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Why Middle East Brands Choose the International Travel Awards
Home-Region Advantage with Global Reach
As the International Travel Awards is headquartered in Dubai, Middle Eastern brands benefit from the deepest regional expertise on our judging panel. Our team has unparalleled understanding of the Gulf hospitality market, ensuring your nomination is assessed by judges who know your competitive landscape intimately — while communicating your excellence to the global travel community.
Regional & Global Media Amplification
Middle East Travel Awards winners receive coverage in regional trade titles including Hotelier Middle East, Arabian Travel News, and Gulf Business, alongside international platforms. Our team issues press releases in Arabic and English, ensuring maximum coverage across both regional and international media ecosystems.
Access to the International Travel Awards Network
Winning brands join an exclusive global community of award winners spanning 150+ countries. For Middle Eastern brands seeking international growth — particularly in Europe, Asia, and the Americas — this network provides direct access to potential distribution partners, tour operators, travel agencies, and media contacts worldwide.
Tangible Commercial Returns
Award recognition translates to direct commercial results. Middle East winners consistently report increased international visitor bookings, stronger corporate account acquisition, improved position on online travel agency platforms, and greater success in rate negotiation with international partners. The return on nomination investment is well documented.
Voices from the Middle East's Award-Winning Travel Community
"The International Travel Awards is unique in that it genuinely understands the Middle East market. The judges know the competitive landscape here — the standards are extraordinarily high in Dubai and across the Gulf — and winning against that standard carries real weight internationally. When we show our award to European and Asian tour operator partners, it immediately elevates the conversation. Our ADR has improved measurably since our recognition, and we have seen a significant influx of international FIT bookings that we attribute directly to the global press coverage the award generated. This is quite simply the most impactful award programme we have participated in."
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