As more businesses transition to a digital storefront, leaders from across the regional travel industry are cooperating in the development of new platforms to successfully take the Middle East travel experience online.

Sharing best practices and insights from around the globe, over 100 experts gathered at the recent Amadeus Fly by Digital Summit in Dubai, UAE, to improve the travel experience in what is one of the world’s fastest growing tourism and passenger hubs.  

This year’s conference focused on supporting industry players to better attract, showcase, sell and service travellers in the region as more and more commerce moves into the digital realm. Keynote speakers included executives from Google, PayFort, Musafir, Souqalmal.com and Amadeus, amongst others.

“By connecting the industry, harnessing bold technologies and finding new ways to make travel more rewarding, the Middle East’s online travel industry can sustain its recent momentum. It will also be prepared for the future Arab traveller, born in the Internet era, who demands different approaches across devices. This is the role the industry needs to play in order to define the future of travel over the coming decade,” said Antoine Medawar, vice president for Middle East and North Africa at Amadeus.

On the side-lines of the conference, Amadeus also previewed findings from the third edition of the Middle East Online Travel Overview study—a special project conducted by Phocuswright and co-sponsored by Amadeus—which provides an overall assessment on the health of the Middle East digital travel market. The latest study estimates total gross bookings in the Middle East for air, hotel, car and tour services tallied $74 billion last year, with an estimated annual growth rate of 8% between now and 2020. Of this total, online travel bookings comprised a 29 per cent share, which is forecast to reach over 40 per cent by the year 2021 as consumers’ preferences shift towards digital retail.

“Many have been quick to claim that operating a digital business requires a completely new mindset. In some instances this may be true, but it’s also important to highlight that creating a shopping experience in the digital world requires many of the same considerations as the physical world,” comments Graham J. Nichols, managing director of Amadeus Gulf. “We were pleased to bring these considerations forward at Fly By Digital this year, which happens to coincide with Amadeus celebrating 30 years of keeping the travel sector moving forward.” - TradeArabia News Service