The travel market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is poised for its inaugural consolidation. Two prominent regional tech enterprises, online B2B business travel platform Tumodo and Tabby, a leading shopping and payment services venture, have agreed to integrate their operations, significantly enhancing business travel efficiency.
As part of the proposed agreement, Tumodo’s travel services will be seamlessly integrated into Tabby’s business operations, marking a substantial step in the digital transformation of the region’s travel industry.
Experts in the industry view this integration not only as a means to help businesses better manage their travel expenses but also as a catalyst for advancing sustainability efforts in the region, given both ventures’ commitment to promoting eco-friendly practices among their clientele.
Tumodo’s solutions provide businesses with enhanced visibility and control over travel expenses, fostering transparency and accountability, while Tabby’s app for shopping and financial services empowers millions across MENA to manage their finances with flexibility in payments.
Driving the transformation of business travel, the integration between the two entities is anticipated to yield a significant digital overhaul in MENA’s travel sector, potentially enhancing business travel efficiency by an impressive 80%, thereby fostering the growth of regional businesses and fortifying the UAE’s status as a business hub.
Vladimir Kokorin, founder of Tumodo, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration with Tabby, highlighting its role in advancing their mission to digitalise business travel in the UAE and GCC, incorporating AI technologies to reach a broader audience and foster sustainability.
This partnership aligns with the UAE’s aspirations to elevate the digital economy’s contribution to the country’s non-oil GDP, aiming to increase it from an estimated 11.7% in 2022 to over 20% within the next decade, while also supporting sustainability initiatives, an area of focus for companies like Tumodo.
The Partnership will Streamline Business Travel and Promote Sustainability in the MENA Region
Moreover, Tumodo’s internal research indicates that over 80% of employees across various companies are compliant with their internal travel policies, thereby reducing their environmental impact, which aligns with the UAE’s sustainability agenda.
The integration of Tumodo’s services into Tabby’s travel management will initially streamline the business travel process for Tabby’s own team members, who undertake approximately 100 business trips monthly to Riyadh, Cairo, and Yerevan, simplifying trip planning and management for Tabby’s HR department.
In its expansion across the MENA region, Tumodo remains committed to environmental stewardship by collaborating with sustainability-focused companies and advocating eco-friendly travel practices, such as prioritising public transport and energy-efficient accommodations, to minimise ecological footprints during business trips.
With the global business travel market spending expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels and reach $1.8T by 2027, despite the persistence of virtual meetings, the integration of Tumodo’s services into Tabby’s travel management system is anticipated to capitalise on the sector’s resurgence and further promote environmentally conscious practices.
