Saudi Arabia is set to deliver 358,000 new hotel rooms to meet rising tourism demand and prepare for major upcoming global events, unleashing a wealth of hospitality investment opportunities in the Kingdom.

Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, taking place from 22-24 June at Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah in Riyadh, will bring together investors, developers, operators and policymakers at a defining moment for the region’s hospitality sector. Positioned as the Kingdom’s leading deal-making and investment platform, FHS connects cital with opportunity. The 2025 edition welcomed more than 1,100 industry leaders and generated over US$1.6 billion in business opportunities, reinforcing its role as a key deal-making forum. 254 investors attended FHS Saudi Arabia last year, managing $ 5.61 trillion in assets.

In the run up to the event, seasoned hospitality leaders share key insight on the opportunities, challenges and priorities for KSA investment.

With opinion from Dimitris Manikis, President, EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; David Thomson, Senior Vice President – Development, The First Group Hospitality; Muin Serhan, Chief Executive Officer, Amsa Hospitality; and Dory Mouawad, Director of Operations at Ewaa Hotel Group.

The outlook
KSA is a clear example of a market where tourism development is anchored by a long-term national strategy. Through Vision 2030, Saudi has created a roadm for tourism growth, supported by infrastructure investment, regulatory reform and large-scale destination projects that expand tourism far beyond traditional gateway cities and create new hospitality markets, says Dimitris Manikis, President, EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. While the region is currently navigating a period of uncertainty, KSA’s long-term fundamentals remain strong.
David Thomson, Senior Vice President – Development, The First Group Hospitality, is positive about KSA’s hospitality outlook beyond 2026. Expo 2030 and Vision 2030 initiatives are creating sustained momentum. As a third-party operator, we are investing heavily in growing our brand footprint, he says.

The big opportunity

While 75% of upcoming hotel rooms are in the luxury segment, a key opportunity for investment is midscale, experts believe.
Muin Serhan, Chief Executive Officer, Amsa Hospitality says: The biggest opportunity is scalable midscale in cities with real demand drivers. Well-positioned, efficiently operated hotels can deliver stable occupancy, repeat business, and strong returns without relying on luxury-rate assumptions.
Dimitris Manikis echoes this view, pointing out that the midscale and upper midscale segments represent the deepest demand pools globally, because they serve a broad range of travellers while offering development economics that are more accessible for investors.
For Dory Mouawad, Director of Operations, Ewaa Hotel Group, a big opportunity lies in extended-stay and mixed-use developments that cture long stay, corporate, and lifestyle demand with superior margins.

The challenges
Timelines and over-supply are among potential challenges facing the industry over the next few years according to David Thomson. Large development pipelines require careful phasing. If openings cluster too tightly in specific spots, performance can be pressured in the short to medium term, he says.

It’s a view shared by Muin Serhan, who adds that costs, timelines and staffing requirements can shift quickly, impacting returns more than most models assume.

The evolving model

When it comes to the evolution of hotel development models, franchising is at the heart of Wyndham’s model. We are seeing strong momentum toward asset-light structures, particularly franchising, which allows owners to maintain control of their assets while benefiting from brand recognition, global distribution systems, loyalty platforms and operational support, says Dimitris Manikis.

Dory Mouawad also believes that models are shifting toward asset light, flexible agreements with lighter management contracts, performance linked fees, and selective franchising.

The priorities

Investors prioritise resilience, yield and growth potential – or a mixture of all three – in today’s climate, experts say.

Muin Serhan commented: Investors still want growth, but they want it with resilience. They’re prioritising assets that perform through different cycles, not only during high-demand periods. That means strong location fundamentals, operational efficiency, and brands and operators that can protect margins and maintain quality at scale.

David Thomson adds: Today’s investors are looking for resilient business models that can withstand market cycles. Yield remains important, but operational flexibility and long-term growth potential are increasingly central to investment decisions.

The future-ready strategy

Technology? Resilience? Sustainable ROI? What will a future-ready hotel investment strategy look like in 2030?

For Dimitris Manakis, it’s a combination of disciplined development, strong brand partnerships and alignment with long-term tourism strategies – like KSA Vision 2030 – while ensuring owners benefit from global distribution, technology and loyalty ecosystems that drive consistent demand.

Muin Serhan says investors should back projects with proven demand drivers, flexible asset design, and operators who can protect margins, so performance remains strong in normal times, not only when markets are booming.

Dory Mouawad believes a future ready strategy is tech enabled, demand diversified, operationally lean, and built for resilient long term cashflow, an opinion echoed by David Thomson who cites disciplined cital allocation and a clear focus on sustainable ROI where supply and market fundamentals are carefully balanced.

Expedia Group announced at its Explore 2026 event an important expansion of its artificial intelligence strategy, including new AI-powered travel experiences, ecosystem partnerships and a new philanthropy initiative focused on sustainable and inclusive travel.

As competition heats up in the travel and AI spaces, the travel technology giant showed how AI is becoming key to the future of trip planning, booking and traveler engagement.

AI Takes Center Stage in Expedia’s Travel Strategy

Expedia Group announced new AI experiences to personalize, streamline and build trust in travel planning at Explore 2026. The company highlighted how generative AI and intelligent assistants are transforming the traveler journey from discovery to booking.

Chief AI and Data Officer Xavi Amatriain highlights the growing importance of trust in AI-driven travel experiences. Expedia also released new research showing that travelers want trustworthy, transparent, and personalized AI recommendations before booking.

Expedia Expands Its Global Travel Ecosystem

In addition to its AI announcements, Expedia Group expanded its travel ecosystem through new partnerships and technology integrations. These efforts aim to improve traveler experiences and create more partner growth opportunities.

The company is also positioning itself as more than a booking platform. Instead, it is building a wider connected ecosystem that includes hotels, airlines, creators, advertisers, and technology partners.

Expedia’s strategy combines AI personalization with its large travel marketplace data. The company says it processes about 1 billion travel searches a month, giving it strong visibility into global travel behavior and emerging tourism trends.

Expedia Trails Fund to Boost Sustainable Tourism

One of the biggest announcements at Explore 2026 was the launch of the Expedia Trails Fund, a new philanthropy initiative to help protect destinations and boost sustainable tourism.

The program underscores Expedia Group’s increasing emphasis on responsible travel and community impact, the company said. The initiative will help fund projects that protect natural environments, support local economies and increase accessibility for travelers, it said.

The move is part of Expedia’s broader sustainability and social impact efforts, including previous grant programs to improve equity and access in travel communities around the world.

Travel’s AI Race Intensifies

Expedia’s recent announcements come as travel companies are scrambling to embed generative AI into their customer experiences. AI-powered itinerary builders, smart booking assistants, predictive pricing, and automated customer support are becoming major competitive differentiators across the industry.

The company has also been expanding internal AI adoption. Reports indicate Expedia launched an AI playground that gives employees access to dozens of large language models for building internal AI agents and automation tools.

As AI continues transforming online search and digital commerce, travel companies are under pressure to create AI systems travelers can trust while maintaining strong customer engagement and direct bookings.

The Future of AI-Powered Travel

Expedia Group’s Explore 2026 event highlights how artificial intelligence is ridly becoming embedded in every stage of the travel experience. AI is now at the core of Expedia’s long-term strategic roadm, from conversational trip planning to ecosystem-wide personalization and sustainable tourism efforts.

As Expedia invests more heavily in AI research, automation and travel intelligence, it is positioning itself among the top tech-driven companies shing the future of global travel.

For more Breaking AI news visit:

This Africa Day, Minor Hotels invites travellers to discover the richness and diversity of Southern Africa through a portfolio of distinctive properties spanning vibrant cities, remote wilderness, coastal esces and island retreats.

While Africa is often viewed through the lens of bush safaris and catching a glimpse of the Big Five from a Land Cruiser; the continent promises any number of extraordinary journeys. Today’s high-value travellers are increasingly seeking multi-destination itineraries that combine varied experiences into one seamless journey. From the dramatic coastlines of Mozambique to Mahé, from the waterways of Zambia to the cultural energy of Johannesburg and Windhoek, Minor Hotels presents journeys that connect travellers more deeply with the landsces, communities and heritage of each destination.

Across Southern Africa, Minor Hotels’ portfolio of twelve properties allows guests to move effortlessly between nature, culture, conservation and contemporary urban life. This spirit of connection reflects the essence of Africa Day, which celebrates unity, cultural pride and collective identity across the continent.

Iconic esces begin at Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara, set on the banks of the Zambezi River within Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Guests can enjoy breakfast alongside roaming zebras and giraffes, take to the skies above Victoria Falls by helicopter, or step aboard the Royal Livingstone Express for a nostalgic rail journey inspired by a bygone era of opulence.

In Zimbabwe, Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Hotel offers an intimate gateway to conservation-led travel. Set within the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve, the boutique property features just 16 suites, providing visitors with the opportunity to participate in the Black Rhino conservation programme that has existed for over two decades. Conscious visitors embark on guided game drives and walks with specialists that connect visitors to the reserve’s ongoing preservation efforts and wildlife heritage.

Further west, Anantara Tented Camp Kafue River opening this summer, offers a deeply immersive safari experience defined by privacy and remoteness. Nestled along the banks of Zambia’s life giving Kafue River, the camp features a limited number of luxurious tents designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding landsce, placing guests at the heart of one of Africa’s most untouched wilderness areas.

Along Mozambique’s coastline, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort delivers a contrasting vision of barefoot luxury. Set within an untouched archipelago, the resort offers marine exploration, coral reef discovery and expansive ocean views that define island seclusion serenity. Whilst Avani+ Barbarons Seychelles Resort introduces contemporary coastal esce, where relaxed beachfront living meets vibrant island culture, offering travellers a stylish yet unpretentious gateway to the Indian Ocean.

Urban experiences form an essential part of modern African journeys. Minor’s African city hotels such as Avani Gaborone, Avani Windhoek and NH Johannesburg Sandton position cities as dynamic cultural and economic hubs where heritage and modernity intersect. In Gaborone, travellers find a growing urban landsce where creativity and commerce converge.

Whether teeing off at the golf course, sipping cocktails with the locals or spinning the wheel at the casino, an air of glamour. Visit the cultural monuments of Windhoek before admiring striking views from the sky deck over a meal at Stratos. In the heart of the cosmopolitan Sandton district, NH Johannesburg Sandton is the perfect address for holidaymakers to enjoy high-end shopping in Africa’s richest square mile and watch live theatre.

Together, these properties reflect a more contemporary perspective on African travel, shed not by a single narrative, but by contrast, connection and cultural depth. This Africa Day, Minor Hotels celebrates the spirit of a continent defined by diversity, heritage and shared experiences, inviting travellers to engage with Africa in all its modern expressions.

Discover Africa’s most exceptional destinations with Minor Hotels Africa:

A new report by Data peal Mabrian (Almawave/Almaviva Group), highlights how European destinations can strategically boost low-season demand by expanding and diversifying their offerings beyond traditional peak periods, signalling the need for a coordinated shift in how destinations design and promote year-round travel experiences.

The study, presented by Emilio Inés, Tourism Global Director at The Data peal Company at the Seasonality Summit 2026 in Rimini, analyses low-season inbound demand trends across Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Portugal within the South Mediterranean context. It examines seasonality patterns, traveller profiles, air connectivity, pricing trends and demand drivers across key Southern European destinations, providing strategic insights to support the development of more balanced year-round tourism models.

Key findings show that destinations are progressing at different speeds in addressing seasonality. According to the Summer Dependence Rate*, Spain records the lowest peak-season dependence (52.8%), well below the South Mediterranean average of 59.1%, followed by Portugal (54.5%) and Italy (58.7%). By contrast, Greece (72.9%) and Croatia (79.1%) remain significantly more reliant on summer demand, although Greece is showing early signs of extending tourism activity into the shoulder seasons.

The report identifies distinct low-season traveller profiles. From January to March, demand is largely driven by couples from nearby markets in midscale accommodation; whereas October to December sees a shift towards established European markets, with travellers more likely to extend summer and opt for upscale hotels.

According to the analysis, in-destination events are also playing a key role in driving low-season demand. As Emilio Inés noted at the Seasonality Summit: Organically counter-seasonal, between 53% and 72% of events already take place outside peak months, while 58% to 73% of total attendance is concentrated in the low season, effectively turning events into a demand powerhouse for low season periods.

Connectivity, Climate, Pricing and Experiences: Key Levers for Seasonality Mitigation
The report highlights that improving low-season performance requires a deeper understanding of traveller motivations, better alignment between event calendars and tourism products, and stronger targeting of high-connectivity source markets. Climate perception, pricing advantages and curated experiences are identified as key levers to redistribute demand more evenly throughout the year.

Air connectivity across the five destinations studied is set to expand further in late 2026. Between October and December 2026, a total of 96.64 million seats will connect Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Portugal, representing a +4.6% increase compared with the same period in 2025. All destinations are expected to record growth in Q4 2026 except Portugal (-2.5%). Greece leads expansion with +10.7%, followed by Spain (+5.4%) and Italy (+4.2%).

According to the Data peal expert, leveraging inbound markets with increasing low-season connectivity is essential, alongside strengthening airline networks that extend beyond peak months. This includes both low-cost carriers—particularly relevant in Italy and Spain—and traditional airlines, which are expanding seat cacity in the low season across Italy, Spain and Greece. In Croatia and Portugal, low-season connectivity accounts for an average of 58.5% of total cacity.

The report identifies climate perception as a growing competitive advantage for low season travel, particularly among short- and medium-haul repeat visitors, as well as flexible segments such as young adults, digital nomads and senior travellers. Based on the Perception of Climate Index (PCI), the study unveils windows of climate opportunity when actual weather conditions exceed traveller expectations. Italy, Spain and Greece typically show two such windows—late winter/early spring and autumn—while Croatia and Portugal benefit from an additional spring window.

When aligned with inbound holiday calendars, these periods present significant opportunities to stimulate low-season demand, highlights Data peal’s Tourism Global Director. Data indicates that the UK, Germany and France represent a structural base for low season travel, with 63%, 60% and 53% of holidays respectively taking place outside peak periods.

Pricing also plays a key role in shing demand. In winter 2026, hotel rates across the destinations analysed are significantly lower than in summer 2025, with average reductions of 24.6% for 3-star hotels, 22.4% for 4-star hotels, and close to one-third for 5-star properties.

Finally, the report highlights that many of the most engaging tourism activities for travellers visiting the studied European destinations—including cultural, nature-based, gastronomy and active experiences—are inherently less seasonal and highly adtable throughout the year, offering strong potential to further redistribute demand beyond peak periods.

* Summer Dependance Rate: Proprietary indicator that measures the concentration of tourist activity during the summer period. It represents the percentage of total annual tourism activity — based on reviews from verified and completed accommodation stays — that occurs between May and September (inclusive), relative to overall year-round activity.

MakeMyTrip Limited has announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended March 31, 2026, reporting record annual gross bookings and continued growth across its travel segments.

The company recorded gross bookings of USD 10.4 billion in FY26, representing a 10.4 per cent year-on-year increase in constant currency. Revenue for the financial year rose 10.7 per cent year-on-year in constant currency, while results from operating activities grew 30.1 per cent to USD 156 million.

MakeMyTrip stated that adjusted margins recorded double-digit growth across all major business verticals during the year. Air Ticketing adjusted margins grew 13.4 per cent year-on-year in constant currency, while Hotels and Packages increased by 15.7 per cent. Bus Ticketing recorded the highest growth at 29.3 per cent, followed by the ‘Others’ category, which grew 37.1 per cent year-on-year.

The company said the performance was achieved despite external factors affecting overall travel sentiment during the year.

Commenting on the results, Rajesh Magow, Group Chief Executive Officer, MakeMyTrip, said:

We surpassed our annual Gross Bookings milestone of USD 10 billion and strengthened our position as the travel platform of choice. Despite a challenging market environment, it is encouraging to see double-digit, year-on-year growth in Adjusted Margins in constant currency across all our major verticals.

He added that the company’s ancillary and non-core offerings also contributed significantly to growth during the financial year.

MakeMyTrip also highlighted advancements in its artificial intelligence initiatives through its AI-powered travel assistant, Myra. According to the company, the conversational AI platform is now cable of handling the entire booking journey, from travel search to completed paid booking, including voice-based interactions.

During Q4 FY26, Myra handled more than 54,000 daily conversations, with over 45 per cent of usage originating from Tier-2 and smaller cities.

The company stated that Myra also contributed to operational efficiency by autonomously resolving proximately 55 per cent of post-booking customer queries across Flights and Hotels during the quarter.

Our focus on enhancing our AI cabilities is beginning to show results and she how consumers experience the platform. Myra is unlocking first-time users from Tier-2 cities and beyond and resolving over 55% post-booking queries across Flights and Hotels in Q4 FY26, Magow added.

MakeMyTrip continues to invest in technology-led customer experiences as competition intensifies in India’s online travel sector and digital adoption expands across emerging markets.

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