Dubai: The global travel and hospitality sector is set for steady growth in 2025, with India, China, and other emerging markets leading the charge despite geopolitical uncertainties, an industry veteran has said. Chris Hartley, CEO of Dubai-based Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), said that while mature markets like Europe and North America remain stable, future growth will primarily come from Southeast Asia and South America.
“China has taken a long time to recover, but it is now in full recovery mode. We also see a huge upside in India over the next few years,” Hartley said. “Emerging markets like Indonesia present strong business potential, particularly in Southeast Asia, but there are also opportunities beyond.”
Countries like Vietnam are rapidly becoming travel hotspots, while South American destinations continue to gain momentum. “If you’re looking for long-term growth, watch the recovery of China, the travel boom from India, and the rise of new destinations across Southeast Asia,” Hartley added.
GHA, the world’s largest alliance of hotel brands, operates on an airline alliance model. Hartley’s remarks follow GHA’s announcement that it has onboarded Rotana, one of the UAE’s largest hotel brands, as a member. Hartley said this move gives the 30 million members of the GHA Discovery loyalty program access to 80 new properties across the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. “With Rotana joining, we will be close to 950 hotels, and we have high hopes to hit 1,000 hotels very soon,” he said.
