Perk, formerly TravelPerk, has opened its Middle East office at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), marking a major step in its regional expansion.
The AI-powered travel and spend management company said the
move strengthens its commitment to the UAE and wider GCC markets, with plans to
triple UAE customer business travel spend by 2028.
The expansion comes as Abu Dhabi positions itself as a hub
for artificial intelligence, digital innovation and global businesses,
supporting the UAE’s goal for AI to contribute 20% of non-oil GDP by 2031.
Perk said the UAE business travel market is expected to
reach $94 billion by 2030, while small and mid-sized businesses remain
underserved by modern solutions.
Perk, which has operated in the UAE since 2021, reported 48%
growth in 2025 and is nearing $400 million in annualised revenue.
The UAE is now its ninth-largest market globally by travel
spend.
Avi Meir, CEO and Co-Founder of Perk, said: "The UAE
has made AI central to its national strategy, and that ambition mirrors exactly
what Perk is built for. We are an AI-native platform, and Abu Dhabi is clearly
seeking to become an AI-native market. We have believed in this region since we
first saw customers here in 2021, and we want to be part of its future. Opening
in Abu Dhabi is not just a commercial step. It is us saying clearly that we are
here for the long term."
Alessandro Borgogna, Chief Cluster Planning and Development Officer at ADIO: said, “Perk's decision to build its regional presence in Abu Dhabi speaks to where the corporate travel market is heading. Companies want better control over travel, expenses and mobility across multiple markets. That creates significant opportunities for travel and spend management and technology platforms that can serve international businesses at scale. Abu Dhabi offers a business-friendly environment for companies with global ambitions as travel technology increasingly becomes an important part of the emirate’s broader mobility and business services ecosystem.” -TradeArabia News Service