In a sign of how airlines are re-imagining distribution channels, Emirates on 3 November cut the ribbon on its eighth ‘Emirates World’ travel retail concept – and the first in the Gulf outside Dubai – in central Riyadh. The 288-m² lounge-styled space lets visitors plan trips with airline consultants, test first-class suites in VR and finalise visa and insurance services in one visit.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and CCO, said the store “brings the Emirates brand closer to customers in the Kingdom, where demand for Dubai short breaks and onward long-haul travel continues to surge.” Traffic between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has grown 28 % year-on-year, driven by business events such as GITEX, LEAP and multiple mega-projects that require cross-border workforce mobility.
![Emirates opens immersive ‘Emirates World’ retail store in Riyadh, its first outside the UAE]()
Instead of traditional GDS ticket desks, Emirates World uses a hybrid model in which travellers can start a booking on the Emirates app, receive a QR code and scan it on-site for assisted upsell or changes. Corporates can also arrange group and MICE travel in a dedicated meeting room equipped with holographic seat-map displays.
For UAE-based mobility managers, the outlet simplifies transaction support for Saudi-resident assignees who need in-person assistance with complex itineraries or multi-city visas. Emirates says similar stores will open in Jeddah and Dammam in 2026, followed by locations in India and the UK.
The airline reports that its seven Dubai-area Emirates World stores have converted 18 % more walk-ins to premium-class sales compared with legacy ticket offices, highlighting the concept’s revenue-generation potential.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and CCO, said the store “brings the Emirates brand closer to customers in the Kingdom, where demand for Dubai short breaks and onward long-haul travel continues to surge.” Traffic between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has grown 28 % year-on-year, driven by business events such as GITEX, LEAP and multiple mega-projects that require cross-border workforce mobility.
Instead of traditional GDS ticket desks, Emirates World uses a hybrid model in which travellers can start a booking on the Emirates app, receive a QR code and scan it on-site for assisted upsell or changes. Corporates can also arrange group and MICE travel in a dedicated meeting room equipped with holographic seat-map displays.
For UAE-based mobility managers, the outlet simplifies transaction support for Saudi-resident assignees who need in-person assistance with complex itineraries or multi-city visas. Emirates says similar stores will open in Jeddah and Dammam in 2026, followed by locations in India and the UK.
The airline reports that its seven Dubai-area Emirates World stores have converted 18 % more walk-ins to premium-class sales compared with legacy ticket offices, highlighting the concept’s revenue-generation potential.
