Record Travel & Tourism investment exceeding $1 trillion in 2025, driven by major markets including the US, China, India and Saudi Arabia, is fueling global economic growth, improving connectivity and creating jobs, according to the latest report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
Abu Dhabi Airports has expanded its network with the launch of three direct Air India Express services from Zayed International Airport to key Indian destinations - Navi Mumbai, Indore and Lucknow - thus increasing capacity on one of the world's busiest travel corridors.
Amadeus reported resilient H1 2026 results, with revenue rising 2.3% to €3.33 billion ($3.8 billion) and operating income up 0.6%, supported by a diversified business model and sustained demand for travel technology solutions.
Dida Holdings has launched Dida MCP, an AI-powered booking gateway enabling approved B2B partners to integrate hotel search and booking from over 2 million properties into their own AI apps, platforms and customer experiences.
India's travel and tourism sector contributed $263.6 billion to the economy and supported 46.2 million jobs in 2025, with World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasting continued strong growth as the country targets becoming the world's fourth-largest tourism economy by 2036.
Airport Show 2026, taking place from October 12–14 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will highlight biometric and passenger innovations, as Middle East airports accelerate digital identity adoption to improve efficiency, security, and travel flow amid projected 240 million passengers in 2026.
Oman Air and SalamAir have dramatically expanded services to Salalah for the Khareef Dhofar 2026 season, increasing daily seat capacity by nearly 400% during peak travel periods.
RateHawk Futurecast gathered industry leaders from TikTok, Lufthansa City Centre, Travelport, and MakeMyTrip to discuss how travel businesses must adapt to rapid technological change, evolving Gen Z customer behaviour, and increasing market uncertainty shaping future travel demand.
Checkout.com has partnered with Agoda to enhance global payment performance using AI-driven “Intelligent Acceptance,” improving transaction approval rates, reducing failures, and supporting smoother bookings and supplier payments across Agoda’s travel platform.
RateHawk and PhocusWright report outlines 10 trends shaping travel distribution by 2036, highlighting AI, personalised demand, digital influence, market volatility, and stronger tech systems driving industry transformation and operational efficiency.
