· The most populated sector is hotels and hospitality, with 59 executives.
· The list features 33 nationalities. Emiratis dominate with 16 entries, followed by Saudis with 12.
· In the top 10, five companies are headquartered in the U.A.E., four in Saudi Arabia, and one in Qatar.
Forbes Middle East has unveiled its second annual ranking of the region’s Top Travel & Tourism Leaders, highlighting 100 influential personalities making the Middle East one of the world’s most desirable destinations. To construct the ranking, Forbes Middle East looked at the size of the business—including revenues and the value of investments and assets—ownership of assets, and the business leader’s experience, designation, and achievements. All individuals had to be based in the Middle East.
The leaders featured on the 2023 ranking represent 33 nationalities. Emiratis lead with 16 entries, followed by 12 Saudis and 10 British nationals. Hospitality firms, hotels, and resorts dominate the list with 59 entries, followed by aviation with 31 entries and eight entries from tourism authorities. Among the top 10 executives, five lead companies are headquartered in the U.A.E., four in Saudi Arabia, and one in Qatar.
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of the Emirates Airline & Group, tops the list for the second consecutive year. The Emirates Group’s revenues surged 128% in the first half of the 2022/23 financial year, hitting $15.3 billion. Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways Group, and Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General at Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, round up the top three.
Committed to propelling the Middle East’s tourism sector, the visionaries on this list are securing multi-million-dollar investments to back their plans. In October 2022, Miral Group’s CEO, Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi announced a portfolio of projects under construction worth over $3.5 billion on Yas Island and across Abu Dhabi. Expansion is also a common priority for many. In 2022, Kerten Hospitality’s CEO, Marloes Knippenberg opened Cloud7 Residence AlUla in Saud Arabia and added eight key signings in the region. Air Cairo, led by Hussein Sherif Fahmi, was also on an expansion spree in 2023, buying five new aircraft in Q1, increasing its fleet to 30. Meanwhile, Sharjah Airport Authority’s Chairman, Ali Salim Al Midfa is currently heading the development team for an airport expansion project valued at $517 million.