Tourist arrivals to Mauritius from the Middle East rose by approximately 10.5% between January and July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) will arrive at Arabian Travel Market 2026 with around 20 tourism partners, with a clear objective: to convert that momentum into bookings across the GCC.
ATM 2026 takes place from 14 to 17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre. The Mauritian delegation — hotels, resorts, destination management companies and other industry stakeholders — will give buyers a cross-section of the destination in a single place.
“A 10.5% increase in seven months tells us the GCC has already made up its mind about Mauritius,” said Benoit Harter, Director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. “Our task at ATM is to give the market more reasons — and to make sure the trade knows how much of this island still goes unseen.”
One island, many experiences
Mauritius is positioning itself as a year-round destination that combines several holidays in one journey. A visitor can begin with a wellness retreat, hike the Black River Gorges, play a championship golf course in the afternoon and eat street food in Port Louis the same evening — with the distances between them measured in minutes rather than hours.
“We are no longer selling a beach. We are selling a week in which no two days look alike,” Benoît Harter said. “The island is small enough to combine in one trip what elsewhere would take several. That is our competitive advantage, and it is what we are selling at ATM.”
Golf and sports tourism gather pace
Mauritius hosts the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on the DP World Tour, and in May 2026 welcomed the Ladies European Tour for the first time in its history with the inaugural MCB Ladies Classic at Constance Belle Mare Plage. Beyond golf, the island’s terrain and climate support trail running, cycling, mountain biking, open-water swimming and kitesurfing — disciplines that bring participants, families and supporters, often outside peak season.
“Two international tours on one island is a serious statement about where Mauritius now sits on the global sporting map,” Harter said.
A growing case for MICE and incentives
MICE is a priority growth segment for the destination, supported by modern conference facilities, resorts able to host executive retreats through to large-scale events, experienced DMCs, and the MICE VAT Exemption Scheme available for qualifying international events.
“We do not ask corporate groups to choose between a meeting and an experience,” Benoît Harter said. “Mauritius delivers both in the same trip — the delegate closes the business and still goes home with a story.”
Connectivity underpins the growth
Air links remain central to the GCC strategy. Emirates operates three daily services between Dubai and Mauritius, and Saudia operates three weekly services between Jeddah and Mauritius — more than 20 flights a week connecting the Gulf to the island, with Dubai serving as the hub for the wider region and Jeddah opening the Saudi market directly.
Growing tourism responsibly
Sustainability remains central to the island’s long-term tourism strategy. Around 40 hotels have reached recognised sustainability standards, while tourism operators have received training in sustainable development, marine biodiversity protection and sustainable tourism.
“For an island, sustainability is not a trend to follow — it is a condition of survival,” Benoît Harter said. “When a corporate planner asks us for evidence today, they expect certifications and figures, not intentions.”
Strengthening GCC partnerships
During ATM 2026, the Mauritian delegation will meet airlines, travel-trade partners, MICE planners, luxury travel specialists and media from across the region, with a focus on strengthening existing partnerships, agreeing joint marketing plans and supporting continued growth from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC.
