Emirates and IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore joint collaborations on programs designed to meet the travel needs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across global markets. The signing ceremony was attended by Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ executive vice president for passenger sales and country management; Matthew Jones, VP-USA, Emirates; Ashraf Baytam, senior manager global business travel, Emirates; and Ryan Plemmons, vice president, global sales strategy, IHG Hotels & Resorts, as per a statement.
Enhanced business travel
Together, Emirates and IHG will explore ways to reach and engage with SMEs through value-added benefits and exclusive rewards to facilitate business travel. The hotel group will provide enhanced travel incentives and seamless integration with its extensive portfolio of hotels and resorts around the globe.
Present at the signing ceremony was Nabil Sultan, executive vice president for Passenger Sales and Country Management, who commented: “With the SME segment playing a crucial role in fostering economic growth and creating jobs, Emirates is committed to supporting them with solutions and value-added propositions to meet their travel needs. We are pleased to collaborate with the leading hotel group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, to explore programs that will be mutually beneficial to our valued customers. Together we aim to extend valuable benefits to our customers in the SME sector, while expanding our customer base in this very important segment.”
Mark Sergot, SVP, Global Sales, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Emirates to redefine business travel for Small and Medium Enterprises worldwide. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to delivering exceptional value, seamless experiences, and exclusive rewards tailored to the unique needs of SMEs. By combining IHG’s hospitality expertise with Emirate’s global connectivity, we are unlocking new possibilities to empower businesses and drive growth across international markets.”
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GCC hospitality sector shows resilience and growth
The SME sector accounts for approximately 90 percent of businesses globally, highlighting its critical role in economic development and employment generation. Recently, IHG has made strategic partnerships focused on boosting SME business travel, underscoring the growing recognition of this segment’s influence on global commerce. For instance, IHG partnered with Singapore Airlines in May 2025 to integrate IHG’s Business Edge program with Singapore Airlines’ HighFlyer loyalty program. This collaboration delivers premium travel benefits such as guaranteed discounts, flexible cancellation policies, and loyalty upgrades tailored specifically to SMEs, enabling these enterprises to access cost-effective and flexible travel solutions while enhancing their overall business travel experience.
Furthermore, the hospitality sector in key regions like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has shown significant resilience and growth, driven partly by policies targeting economic diversification and tourism enhancement. According to a 2024 report by STR on behalf of Arabian Travel Market, GCC countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have seen a 5.4 percent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared to the previous year. Occupancy rates rose to 69.5 percent, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, fueled by expansive initiatives such as Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE’s “We the UAE 2031” campaign. This growth in the hospitality sector directly benefits business travel, including that of SMEs, by increasing the availability and quality of accommodations. In particular, luxury hotels, a segment where IHG is a major player with its diverse brand portfolio, have contributed significantly to average daily rate (ADR) growth of 2.4 percent in the region.
IHG’s Business Edge program plays a significant role in this SME-focused strategy by offering a dedicated platform that simplifies hotel bookings with features like flexible options and guaranteed discounts, which have been well received by small businesses globally.
