Essa Faqeeh Named Among Forbes’ Top Tourism Leaders

Areen Hospitality CEO recognised in Forbes Middle East’s 2026 list of 100 influential travel and tourism executives.

Dr. Essa Faqeeh, CEO of Areen Hospitality, has been named among Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Travel and Tourism Leaders for 2026.

The annual list recognises executives and leaders shaping the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors across the region.

Faqeeh’s inclusion reflects more than 35 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, including his leadership at Areen Hospitality and involvement in the development and management of projects across several regional markets.

His professional experience covers tourism and hotel asset management, project development, hotel classification systems and tourism performance indicators.

At Areen Hospitality, Faqeeh currently oversees operations in Bahrain, including the development and management of assets and projects spanning hospitality, tourism and leisure.

His work focuses on expanding the company’s portfolio and strengthening its presence across these sectors.

Forbes Middle East’s 2026 travel and tourism ranking covers leaders from a wide range of industries, including hotels and resorts, airlines, airports, tourism destinations and experiences, travel services and the public sector.

The selection considers factors including business scale, revenues, investments, assets, regional presence and growth, as well as each leader’s contribution to the travel and tourism industry and the wider economy.

The ranking also takes into account executive responsibilities, professional achievements, initiatives, experience and leadership track record.