Our phones keep us connected when we travel. They should also put reliable information, practical assistance and human support within reach.
Before we leave home, our phones are already managing the journey. Flight bookings, boarding passes, hotel confirmations and travel updates sit alongside messages from the people we are travelling to meet.
Once abroad, that same device becomes our map, translator, payment tool and connection to family. Whether travelling for business, a holiday or a visit home, the mobile phone is an essential companion.
It is also the device we reach for when something goes wrong.
A cancelled flight. An unexpected illness. A security incident in an unfamiliar city. In those moments, being connected gives us a way to act. Having access to people who can help makes that connection even more valuable.
A region that connects, and travels
Across the Middle East and North Africa, 308 million people used mobile internet in 2024, according to GSMA. That number is projected to reach 378 million by 2030, reflecting the growing role of mobile connectivity in everyday life.
The region’s international travel market is substantial too. The Arabian Travel Market Travel Trends Report 2025, produced with Tourism Economics, projected around 66 million international trips by Middle East residents in 2025, including travel within the region, rising to nearly 90 million by 2030.
Those journeys also take people considerable distances from home. The same report found that 43% of outbound trips from the Middle East in 2024 were to medium or long-haul destinations. Behind these figures are families on holiday, professionals travelling for work, students studying abroad and residents visiting relatives. Their destinations and circumstances differ, but their phones provide a common connection throughout the journey.
When information needs to become action
Mobile connectivity allows travellers to check what is happening, contact others and explore their options. But a difficult situation can still leave someone unsure what to do next. Finding a list of nearby hospitals does not necessarily tell a traveller which facility is appropriate. Receiving a flight cancellation notification does not resolve the onward journey. Reading reports of unrest does not always make it clear how events affect their location or plans.
At those moments, access to informed human assistance can help travellers make decisions and take practical steps. That might mean help identifying suitable medical care, understanding the implications of a disruption or coordinating alternative travel arrangements. It can also mean having someone available to explain the options calmly while the traveller deals with an unfamiliar situation.
Putting support in the traveller’s hand
Global Traveller brings travel intelligence, relevant alerts and access to 24/7 medical, security and travel assistance into the journey. Before departure, information helps members understand their destination and prepare. While travelling, alerts help them stay aware of changing conditions. When they need assistance, they have a route to a team that can help assess their situation and coordinate support.
The mobile phone provides the point of access. Behind it are people who can help turn information into practical action. For a parent travelling with children, that could mean assistance finding appropriate care when a child becomes unwell. For a business traveller, it could mean support when disruption affects an onward connection. For someone caught in a developing crisis, it could mean guidance on their options and help coordinating the next steps.
Connected to home. Supported overseas.
Travel problems can affect the people waiting at home as well as the person overseas. An unanswered call, a worrying headline or uncertainty about a family member’s plans can quickly create concern. Being able to communicate matters. So does knowing that the traveller has access to assistance beyond their immediate circle.
Global Traveller’s 24/7 operations centre in Amman provides support with Arabic and English as its primary assistance languages, additional language support available, and international assistance coordinated through a provider network. It brings a Middle East perspective to the needs of people travelling across the region and around the world.
A natural connection between mobile services and travel support
For mobile operators, overseas travel is already an important part of the customer relationship. Customers rely on their services to navigate, communicate and manage everyday tasks abroad. Travel assistance builds on that relationship by putting useful information and access to human support alongside connectivity. It is a benefit with a clear purpose, by helping customers feel better prepared before they travel and better supported when they need help.
For the traveller, the value is straightforward. The device they carry throughout the journey also gives them access to someone who can help.
Connected abroad. Support when it matters.
Explore Global Traveller’s travel intelligence and 24/7 assistance for individuals, organisations and their customers.