Skift Global Forum East 2025 Sessions

The future of travel is personal, eastward, and AI-infused. As the Gulf rises as a new global hub, travel brands must avoid the trap of generic AI and instead use technology to deliver experiences that reflect identity, intention, and trust.

Africa is emerging as travel’s next global growth frontier, driven by a young population, rising connectivity, and authentic experiences. Hamza Farooqui of Millat Group calls for intentional investment, Gulf partnerships, and reciprocal travel ecosystems to unlock the continent’s full potential.

India’s outbound travelers are growing in both number and net worth, and the Middle East is already their playground. To win the next decade, destinations must double down on weddings, luxury, and live events.

Indian and Chinese travelers are rewriting the rules of how travel is discovered, booked, and experienced. For destinations, adapting to these markets means more than translation. It means rethinking payments, safety, personalization, and platform partnerships from the ground up.

By fusing culture with cutting-edge infrastructure and a people-first strategy, Abu Dhabi is trying to set a new regional standard for how to grow tourism sustainably, inclusively, and ambitiously.

Almosafer wants to prove that it can move AI from buzzword to operating system. With widespread internal adoption and regional momentum, the Middle East’s biggest travel company is setting the standard for how AI can scale across every layer of the travel business.

Anthropic isn’t chasing flashy AI gimmicks — it’s quietly building Claude into an infrastructure for travel’s next big leap. Its focus: trust, personalization, and giving businesses control over how AI can enhance the traveler journey.

Short-term rentals aren’t just a stopgap, they’re a strategic pillar for tourism growth. As the Middle East doubles down on mega-events and visitor targets, players like Silkhaus and Airbnb want to prove that flexibility, personalization, and partnerships are key to staying competitive.

Abu Dhabi wants to market its future while it’s building it in real time. With Google as both platform and partner, the city is using AI, creator content, and cultural capital to try to cement its place as a global tourism powerhouse.

Anthropic wants businesses to build their own AI agents. Here’s how travel can benefit.