Perk opens in Abu Dhabi amid GCC demand for AI-native travel and spend management accelerates

Office is in partnership with Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)

Perk, an AI-native platform with intelligence for travel and spend management, has announced the opening of its Middle East office in ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). 

The expansion is said to reflect Abu Dhabi’s "continued emergence" as a center for advanced technologies, digital innovation, and globally scalable businesses, reinforcing the emirate’s position as a leading investment hub as the UAE targets AI to contribute 20% of non-oil GDP by 2031.

The move formalises Perk's long-term commitment to the UAE and wider GCC region, targeting a tripling of business travel spend from UAE customers by 2028. 

The UAE business travel market is projected to reach $94 billion by 2030, yet SMBs and mid-market companies, Perk’s core customers, remain largely underserved by modern platforms. 

Abu Dhabi's world-class AI infrastructure and globally connected business ecosystem make it the right base for Perk’s regional growth ambitions.

"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,” said Avi Meir, CEO and co-founder of Perk.

Perk has had customers in the UAE since 2021, and what started as early market exploration quickly revealed genuine, growing demand with customers. 

The UAE ranks as Perk’s ninth-largest market globally by travel spend within a business that grew 48% in 2025 and is approaching $400 million in annualized revenue.

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.”