# MELA, the Middle East Loyalty Association > MELA is the professional association for loyalty, CRM and customer experience practitioners in the GCC and the wider Middle East. Its insights cover loyalty news, sourced analysis and a Trend Radar. Every figure on these pages links to the source it came from. ## Trend Radar - [Emotional loyalty & recognition](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/emotional): Emotional loyalty means building customer commitment through feeling recognised, valued and connected to a brand, rather than relying only on points and discoun - [Government and national loyalty schemes](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/government): Government-backed privilege and loyalty programmes that give public employees and other eligible groups discounts and offers from partner businesses. - [Experiential rewards & gamification](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/experiential): Loyalty programmes that use game features such as challenges, badges and leaderboards, and rewards like events and experiences, instead of only points and disco - [Sustainability-linked rewards](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/sustainability): Loyalty programmes that give points or miles to members for sustainable actions, such as recycling, offsetting carbon or choosing eco-friendly products. - [Ramadan & seasonal engagement](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/ramadan): Timing loyalty rewards, offers and messages around Ramadan, Eid and other seasonal peaks when Gulf shoppers spend more. - [Tourism and destination loyalty](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/destination): Governments and tourism bodies are building rewards and membership schemes to bring visitors back to a whole country or city, not just to one brand. - [Gen Z & Gen Alpha expectations](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/gen-z): Younger customers expect loyalty to give them instant, useful, digital rewards, and they will move on quickly if a brand does not deliver. - [Paid & subscription loyalty](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/paid-loyalty): Customers pay a regular fee, usually monthly, to get benefits such as free delivery, discounts and priority support. - [Loyalty data & retail media](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/retail-media): Retailers and grocers sell advertising to brands and target it using what their loyalty members buy, in store and online. - [First-party data & privacy regulation](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/first-party-data): Brands collect and use data that customers share with them directly, and must now follow national privacy laws on consent and marketing. - [Bank & card rewards competition](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/card-rewards): Banks are teaming up with retailers, airlines, fuel brands and developers to launch co-branded cards that compete on cashback, points and perks. - [AI personalisation and agentic commerce](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/agentic-ai): Using AI to tailor loyalty offers to each member, and to let AI assistants search and arrange travel or purchases on a member's behalf. - [Embedded finance & pay with points](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/pay-with-points): Customers spend loyalty points as a payment method at checkout or inside an app, alone or mixed with card, instead of waiting for a rewards catalogue. - [Super-apps and digital wallets as loyalty hubs](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/super-apps): Super-apps and digital wallets bundle payments, shopping and services in one app, so loyalty points and rewards sit right where customers pay. - [Coalition & partner ecosystems](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/trends/coalitions): Several brands share one rewards currency, so members earn and spend points across banks, airlines, retailers and hotels. ## Analysis - [UAE and Saudi data laws: what they mean for loyalty data](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/articles/uae-and-saudi-data-laws-what-they-mean-for-loyalty-data): Saudi Arabia's PDPL has been enforceable since September 2024 and the UAE law since 2022, but verified fines on loyalty operators are not public. - [UAE and Saudi card rewards: tighter caps, lower rates, more cashback](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/articles/uae-and-saudi-card-rewards-tighter-caps-lower-rates-more-cashback): Banks in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are trimming earn rates and caps and running short cashback campaigns, but no report we found measures the shift. - [Coalition loyalty in Saudi Arabia and the UAE: who owns the customer](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/articles/coalition-loyalty-in-saudi-arabia-and-the-uae-who-owns-the-customer): Shared programmes such as SHARE and Qitaf are widening who touches the customer, but published evidence on data ownership and CRM control is thin. - [Gulf airline loyalty: where the big four are taking rewards](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/articles/gulf-airline-loyalty-where-the-big-four-are-taking-rewards): Emirates and Etihad are widening partner ecosystems, Qatar Airways is adjusting redemption rules, and Riyadh Air's Sfeer reached one million members. - [GCC loyalty market reaches $648.9m, forecast to nearly double](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/articles/gcc-loyalty-market-reaches-648-9m-forecast-to-nearly-double): MarketsandMarkets puts GCC loyalty management at $648.9m in 2025, rising to $1,253.2m by 2030, but published estimates vary widely by definition. - [Gulf hotel loyalty: global chains and regional groups compete](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/articles/gulf-hotel-loyalty-global-chains-and-regional-groups-compete): Global chains are linking to Gulf airlines and retailers, while Rotana joins GHA; no source yet compares member growth or retention by group. ## Latest loyalty news - [Al Meera links Wafa loyalty points to Ooredoo Qatar's Nojoom programme](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/news/al-meera-links-wafa-loyalty-points-to-ooredoo-qatar-s-nojoom-programme-58421): Al Meera and Ooredoo Qatar connect Wafa and Nojoom, letting members convert points and redeem Nojoom points for Al Meera gift cards in Qatar. - [Etihad Guest and STARLUX COSMILE add two-way earning and redemption](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/news/etihad-guest-and-starlux-cosmile-add-two-way-earning-and-redemption-e0083): Etihad Airways and STARLUX Airlines expanded their loyalty tie-up from 28 October 2026, so Etihad Guest and COSMILE members can earn and redeem on both airlines - [BWH Hotels merges Best Western Rewards into WorldHotels Rewards from January 2027](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/news/bwh-hotels-merges-best-western-rewards-into-worldhotels-rewards-from-january-202-f0970): BWH Hotels will rebrand as WorldHotels and merge Best Western Rewards and WorldHotels Rewards into one three-tier programme from 5 January 2027. - [Dubai Access Club offers repeat visitors a five-year visa for Dh4,032.50](https://www.me-loyalty.com/insights/news/dubai-access-club-launches-invitation-only-tourism-loyalty-programme-7d182): Dubai's invitation-only Access Club gives selected repeat visitors a five-year visa and up to Dh2,000 in credit, with an application fee of Dh4,032.50.