- ATM’s strategic partners – DET, Emirates, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Al Rais Travel – offer insights into what attendees can expect at the 31st edition of the travel and tourism showcase
- This year’s event will highlight entrepreneurship with the theme ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’
- ATM 2024 will feature over 2,300 exhibitors from more than 165 countries and is set to welcome new destinations, including China, Macao, Kenya, Guatemala, and Columbia
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 3 May 2024: The organisers of Arabian Travel Market 2024 (ATM) and representatives from the exhibition’s strategic partners, which include the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Emirates, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Al Rais Travel, have outlined their plans for the event, which takes place from Monday, May 6, to Thursday, May 9, 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
Due to adverse weather conditions and to ensure the safety of all participants and invited guests, the official ATM press conference scheduled to take place yesterday morning was unfortunately cancelled. However, all partners have underscored their commitment to the show and the opportunities it affords.
The 31st edition of ATM is poised to welcome over 2,300 exhibitors and representatives from more than 165 countries, with 41,000 attendees expected under the theme ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, spotlighting a pivotal area for the travel and tourism industry.
From startups to established brands, ATM 2024 will highlight how innovators are enhancing customer experiences, driving efficiencies and accelerating progress towards a net-zero future for the industry.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market added: “ATM 2024 is gearing up for an exciting lineup spread across two stages, with the Global Stage returning alongside the new Future Stage. The conference agenda will feature key industry speakers from around the world and address the emerging trends that are fueling the travel and tourism sector’s growth.”
Curtis added: “An eagerly awaited addition to ATM 2024 is the new Entrepreneurship-focused summit, which will delve into the role of travel start-ups in the Middle East economy, spotlighting their pioneering approaches. As entrepreneurship and innovation take centre stage, the exciting ATM Start-Up Pitch Battle, in partnership with Emirates Group’s Intelak provides the perfect platform to celebrate the immense potential for innovators in the region and for brands to present their industry solutions.”
The number of participating hotel brands for ATM 2024 has increased by 21% year-on-year, with a 58% rise in new Travel Technology products showcased. Several new destinations will be introduced at ATM 2024, including China, Macao, Kenya, Guatemala, and Columbia, while returning countries include Spain and France, among many others. Upticks across all key verticals with year-on-year growth across all regions participation including ME 28%, Asia and Europe 34%, and Africa 26%.
A dedicated India Summit will take place on the opening day of ATM, highlighting a recent outbound travel boom from the market. Titled ‘Unlocking the True Potential of Inbound Indian Travellers,’ the Summit will explore the dynamics of India as a key source market for tourism growth, as well as current and future opportunities.
His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: “As the host city of ATM, Dubai is proud to continue its long-term strategic partnership with this globally renowned travel event, aligned with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33 launched by our visionary leadership to further consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities for business and leisure. The transformative theme of ATM 2024 will complement our efforts to create new pathways to growth beyond traditional tourism, as we focus on leveraging the huge potential of entrepreneurship and further accelerating momentum across our tourism industry. The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism will be joined by 129 stakeholders and partners on the Dubai stand at ATM, a testament to the vibrant public-private partnerships that play a pivotal role in tourism development in the emirate. We look forward to sharing insights into our successful tourism strategy with leaders and experts, and exploring the important themes and trends shaping the future of global tourism, while seeking to unlock new avenues for collaboration and partnership.”
Environmental responsibility in the travel and tourism industry will continue to be a key focus at ATM, aligning with RX’s sustainability pledge and building on the momentum of last year’s theme, ‘Working Towards Net Zero’. ATM 2024 will explore how innovation can be leveraged to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by building a greener travel and tourism sector for future generations.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates, said: “We’re thrilled to see growth in visitor numbers to ATM. It’s a reflection of confidence in our industry and ATM’s importance on the global stage. We are proud of the role we have played in the growth of ATM as an industry event, as well as the growth of our home city Dubai, which is at the forefront of global tourism. This year, Emirates will be displaying our latest products in addition to a dedicated area showcasing our sustainable aviation practices. We also look forward to connecting with our industry partners across the travel ecosystem.”
Haitham Mattar, Managing Director of IHG Hotels & Resorts for SWA, Middle East and Africa, added: “In continuing IHG Hotels & Resorts’ long-standing partnership as the official hotel partner for Arabian Travel Market, we look forward to leveraging the region’s legacy travel trade event to showcase the group’s diverse portfolio of accommodations to global industry and consumer audiences. With over 190 hotels across IMEA, as well as a robust regional pipeline of future openings, IHG remains a critical enabler in realising the region’s growth ambitions in the tourism sector. In a world of evolving preferences and shifting landscapes, IHG remains committed to exploring new and innovative ways to scale-up strategic investments and reshaping the hospitality sector of tomorrow.”
Mohamed Al Rais, Executive Director, Al Rais Travel, also added: “Celebrating the fusion of innovation and entrepreneurship, the Arabian Travel Market 2024 stands as a beacon of progress and possibility in travel. With a steadfast commitment to empowerment, we harness visionary minds’ creative energy to redefine the essence of exploration. Through groundbreaking initiatives and bold ventures, we pave the way for a future where travel knows no limits, and every journey is a testament to the transformative power of human ingenuity. Join us as we embark on this exhilarating expedition, charting new territories and shaping a world where adventure knows no bounds.”
Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners are the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.
The latest ATM news stories are available at https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/.
To register your interest in attending ATM 2024, visit https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb/enquire.html.
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For more information, log on to wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html.
Arabian Travel Market (ATM), now in its 31st year, is the leading international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2023 welcomed over 40,000 attendees and hosted over 30,000 visitors, including more than 2,100 exhibitors and representatives from over 150 countries, across 10 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. #ATMDubai
Next in-person event: 6 to 9 May 2024, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai.
https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html
Arabian Travel Week is a festival of events taking place from 6 to 12 May, within and alongside Arabian Travel Market 2024. Providing a renewed focus for the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector, it includes Influencers’ events, GBTA Business Travel Forums, as well as ATM Travel Tech. It also features the ATM Buyer Forums, as well as a series of country forums.
https://www.wtm.com/arabian-travel-week/en-gb.html
About RX
RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com.
About RELX
RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 36,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. *Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors
World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises leading travel events and online portals across four continents. The events are:
WTM London is the world’s most influential travel & tourism event for the global travel community. The show is the ultimate destination for those seeking a macro view of the travel industry and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping it. WTM London is where influential travel leaders, buyers and high-profile travel companies gather to exchange ideas, drive innovation, and accelerate business outcomes.
Next live event: 6 to 8 November 2023 at ExCel London.
WTM Latin America takes place annually in the city of São Paulo and attracts around 20,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers qualified content together with networking and business opportunities. In this its ninth edition – there have been eight face-to-face events along with a 100% virtual one, which was held in 2021 – WTM Latin America continued to focus on effective business generation, and achieved the advance booking of six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents and exhibitors in 2022.
Next event: 15 to 17 April 2024 – Expo Center Norte, SP, Brazil.
WTM Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2022, WTM Africa facilitated more than 7 thousand unique pre-scheduled appointments, an increase of more than 7% compared to 2019 and welcomed more than 6 thousand visitors (unaudited), the same number as in 2019.
Next event: 10 to 12 April 2024 – Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town http://africa.wtm.com/
About ATW Connect: Africa Travel Week’s digital arm, is a virtual hub packed to the seams with interesting content, industry news and insights, and the opportunity to hear from experts on a variety of topics in our new monthly webinar series. All with the aim to keep all of us in the travel and tourism industry connected. ATW Connect focuses on inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel and the MICE/business travel sector as well as travel technology.
WTM Global Hub, is the WTM Portfolio online portal created to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world. The resource hub offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. WTM Portfolio is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub. https://hub.wtm.com/