Abu Dhabi Hosted the World’s Travel Leaders
Attendees from Disney, Hilton, Mastercard, Tripadvisor and more joined us.
October 29-30, 2025
Travel 2030: New Horizons Ahead
Skift Global Forum East returned this October 30, this time to Abu Dhabi, with a bold lens on where power is shifting in global travel and how the Middle East is helping define Travel 2030: New Horizons Ahead.
The Middle East sits at the intersection of multiple emerging corridors: Africa to the west and south, India to the east, Europe to the north, and Southeast Asia beyond. We unpacked how this region might represent the most transformational opportunity in global tourism if developed thoughtfully. How will the industry work together to create that future?
‘The experience was truly outstanding – from the incredible venue to the impressive lineup of speakers and attendees. The organizers went above and beyond to ensure every participant felt engaged and valued. Attending this event has given me deeper insights into regional trends and allowed me to form meaningful connections – both professional and personal.’
Skift Global Forum East 2025 By The Numbers
Who Was In The Room
Agenda
As platforms evolve, travelers change, and new centers of gravity emerge, this Forum spotlighted how governments, CEOs, creators, and communities across the region and beyond are shaping travel’s next chapter.
From AI adoption and air connectivity to the luxury boom and experience economy, we examined how the decisions of today are laying the groundwork for 2030 and beyond.
🗓️ 👇 Click to Unlock The Full Agenda
- Global Growth, Regional Acceleration: How travel is evolving in response to new demand flows, geopolitical shifts, and changing traveler priorities.
- Hospitality Redefined: How shifts in luxury and economy segments globally represent a bifurcation of travelers, and how hospitality leaders are staying ahead.
- Online Travel’s Evolving Ecosystem: From search to social platforms to fintech, online travel is being upended as we look ahead to 2030. We’ll unpack what leaders across regions see ahead.
- Airlines on the Rise: How airlines and airports across the region making big bets on the future.
- Reaching Outbound Travelers: How destinations can inspire travelers from China, India, and beyond as incomes and demand rapidly grows.
- AI in Action: What real-world AI deployment looks like in travel today, and what’s coming next for both consumer experience, enterprise adoption, and the future of talent.
- Travel’s Center of Gravity Moves Eastward: The Middle East corridor might represent the most transformational opportunity in global tourism. How will the industry work together to create that future?
Speakers
From visionary hospitality CEOs to leaders redefining tourism, aviation, and online travel, our speakers represented the power players shaping the future of global travel across East and West.
Expert-Guided Roundtables
Following rapid sellouts at our 2025 events, expert-guided roundtables came to Skift Global Forum East for the first time.
These intimate, off-the-record sessions pair select industry leaders with senior attendees for candid, solutions-driven discussions.
- Understanding Chinese Travelers
Subramania Bhatt - Founder & CEO, China Trading Desk - Video Storytelling, AI, and Creativity
Ashley Woods - Creator Product Marketing,YouTube - Tech-Enabled Hospitality
David Peller - Founder/CEO - If Not You - Attracting Global Meetings & Events
Anju Gomes - Senior Regional Director Middle East, ICCA - The Future of Travel Talent
Scott Richardson - Academic Dean - Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy / Les Roches - AI Reshaping Guest Experience
Matthew Spriegel - Co-Founder and CEO of Atiom - Expanding Short-Term Rentals in Region
Oriol Plana - Founder & CEO, Mr Alfred - New Growth Drivers for India Outbound Travel
Saniya Zanpure - Research Analyst at Skift Research - Expanding Experiences in Travel
Michael Zeisser - Managing Partner of FMZ Ventures
Supported By
Sponsor Opportunities
Want to be part of the next event? Sponsor opportunities include main stage talks, networking, workshops and more. Reach out to [email protected] to learn more.