According to the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 2026 Global Passenger Survey, immigration and visa procedures have deterred 43% of Middle East travellers from visiting a destination, matching the global average. IATA reported that while procedural complexity remains the primary barrier overall, Middle East travellers cite visa costs more frequently than travellers in other parts of the world.
The findings highlighted a strong regional appetite for digital passenger processing. In the Middle East, 91% of respondents expressed interest in using a digital passport for online check-in—the highest proportion of any region, compared with 84% globally. In addition, 84% indicated willingness to share biometric data for airport operations versus 78% worldwide, even though past-year biometric usage in the region decreased six percentage points to 61%.
Middle East travellers also led global adoption of artificial intelligence in journey planning, with 72% reporting AI use compared to a 49% global benchmark. Despite visa-related friction, overall passenger satisfaction with air travel in the Middle East rose two percentage points from 2025 to 90%, tying with Asia-Pacific for the highest satisfaction rating globally.
Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President of Operations, Safety and Security, noted that travellers are embracing digital solutions to streamline travel. Careen urged governments to simplify cross-border procedures, remove duplicate checks, and establish global frameworks to issue and accept secure digital travel credentials.
Sources
- Khaleej Times · 2026-10-29
