Three Qataris have been named among the Forbes Middle East's Top 50 Travel & Tourism Leaders.
They are HE Akbar al-Baker, Qatar Tourism Chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive (No. 2); HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, Chairman of Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company (No. 5); and Hussain Ibrahim Alfardan, Chairman of Alfardan Group (No. 28).
"As visitor numbers to Mena start to increase, meet the leaders welcoming recovery in the travel markets," the Forbes Middle East website says. "The travel and tourism industry experienced a revival in 2021, following one of the worst years the sector has ever seen. As countries and people continue to emerge from the cloud of the pandemic, their increasing desire to reconnect with the world is expected to become the driving force of growth in travel throughout 2022."
"Though the industry has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, its recovery so far has been significant. For example, Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport welcomed 122% more passengers in 2021 than it did in 2020. And the hotel sector is also poised for growth, with Marriott International expected to open around 25 new properties in the region this year," it explains.
Working remotely has today become commonplace for many employees, with big tech companies like Twitter, Meta and Amazon leading the way, the website states. "This means that hospitality venues are being used as makeshift offices for travelers, as well as residents seeking a change in their working environment. On the financial side, most travel companies are now favoring an asset-light approach. The separation between the management of operations and real-estate assets now allows hospitality companies to focus on their core business."
The hotels and hospitality sector is the most dominant on the list with 26 entries, followed by aviation with 17, and tourism with seven entries.
"As visitor numbers to Mena start to increase, meet the leaders welcoming recovery in the travel markets," the Forbes Middle East website says. "The travel and tourism industry experienced a revival in 2021, following one of the worst years the sector has ever seen. As countries and people continue to emerge from the cloud of the pandemic, their increasing desire to reconnect with the world is expected to become the driving force of growth in travel throughout 2022."
"Though the industry has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, its recovery so far has been significant. For example, Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport welcomed 122% more passengers in 2021 than it did in 2020. And the hotel sector is also poised for growth, with Marriott International expected to open around 25 new properties in the region this year," it explains.
Working remotely has today become commonplace for many employees, with big tech companies like Twitter, Meta and Amazon leading the way, the website states. "This means that hospitality venues are being used as makeshift offices for travelers, as well as residents seeking a change in their working environment. On the financial side, most travel companies are now favoring an asset-light approach. The separation between the management of operations and real-estate assets now allows hospitality companies to focus on their core business."
The hotels and hospitality sector is the most dominant on the list with 26 entries, followed by aviation with 17, and tourism with seven entries.