Arabian Travel Market to welcome 2,000 exhibitors

The 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 will open at the Dubai World Trade Center on May 1 and run until May 4 with more than 2,000 exhibitors, representatives from over 150 countries and 34,000 attendees attended.

Organized in partnership with the UAE Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), this year’s conference will once again be a central component of the UAE’s annual Arabian Tourism Week.

In line with its theme ‘Towards Net Zero’, ATM 2023 will provide a forum where attendees can make new connections, share knowledge and showcase innovations to accelerate the decarbonization of the global tourism industry.

Vasyl Zhygalo, Managing Director of RX Middle East and Director of WTM, IBTM and RX Portfolio, said: “Following the very successful WTM Africa and WTM Latin America earlier this spring, it is now great to see the international travel community participating in the Arabian travel market. We have seen strong exhibitor growth across all exhibition areas and it is exciting to be able to welcome back our Chinese colleagues as remaining covid restrictions are lifted in the region.

“As the travel industry increasingly thinks about sustainability, indeed across the entire WTM and IBTM event portfolio, the industry engages with ATM 2023’s theme of ‘Strive for Net Zero’ and explores a number of events around this theme at the show Showcasing business trends and opportunities.”

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market ME, added: “ATM 2023 will provide a platform for a diverse range of public and private sector speakers, all of whom will deliver on sustainable travel trends, responsible tourism and a range of expert Insights. Other key industry issues.

“For example, at our opening session, policymakers will take to the ATM global stage for a ministerial debate on how tourism can tackle the climate crisis.

“Chaired by CNN’s Eleni Giokos, the panel will feature H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy; H.E. Makram Mustafa Abdul Karim Al Ghathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan His Excellency the Minister of Tourism Walid Nassar, Minister of Tourism of Lebanon; Sukit Mohanty, Head of the UNDRR for the Arab States; come together to explore ways for our industry to achieve net zero emissions.”

Compared to last year’s event, ATM 2023 saw a 27% increase in exhibitor participation, with growth across all show segments. These include growth in the Middle East, which will be represented 24% more than in 2022, Europe (up 17%), Asia (up 15%) and Africa (up 8.5%). The travel tech and hospitality sectors of the show also saw impressive year-over-year growth, up 62% and 37.5%, respectively.

Chinese exhibitors and travel professionals welcomed the return of ATM 2023 after China lifted coronavirus-related travel restrictions earlier this year. China became the world’s largest tourist source market in 2019, with 155 million tourists spending more than $250 billion overseas, and CNN predicts that by the summer of 2023, China’s outbound market will recover to about 6 million tourists per month.

Southeast Asia and India will also feature prominently at this year’s event. According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Indian nationals will spend a record $10 billion on overseas travel in the first nine months of 2022, an increase of almost 43% compared to pre-COVID-19 figures. Other estimates suggest that by 2024, there will be more than 27 million annual outbound trips worth more than US$42 billion.

Saudi Arabia will have a considerable presence at ATM 2023. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia received more international tourists than any other Arab country in the first nine months of last year, receiving more than 18 million visitors during the period, according to government data. In the first half of 2022, Saudi tourism spending will reach $7.2 billion.

In honor of its 30th anniversary, ATM will unveil a dedicated Sustainability Pledge designed to reinforce RX’s commitment to sustainable events through the use of environmentally friendly materials, the elimination of single-use plastics and other forward-thinking initiatives. As well as showcasing the show’s journey to net-zero emissions, this commitment will be accompanied by a new playbook that will provide participants with a framework within which to mitigate their environmental impact before, during and after the event.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing Company, commented: “It is really fitting that this year ATM’s theme focuses on sustainability and building a better future for the tourism industry. For us, the theme takes on greater meaning , as 2023 is the Year of Sustainability in the UAE and Dubai will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28. Dubai has made significant progress in this area with strategies to reduce its carbon footprint and create a more environmentally conscious tourism industry, which will Aligning with our visionary leadership’s ambition to see Dubai become the best city in the world to travel, live and work in. As momentum continues to gather momentum in the global tourism and MICE sectors, we welcome the search for a more evolutionary, collaborative , inclusive and long-term approach to sustainable growth and practice in the industry.”

This year’s show will also host the inaugural ATM Sustainable Stand Awards, the results of which will be announced as part of the Best of Stand Awards at ATM 2023. Entries will be judged on a wide range of sustainable criteria, including supplier selection, material use, operational efficiency, and even the condition of the booth after the show.

In addition to sustainability, the ATM Global Stage will host a variety of sessions focusing on key industry issues including, but not limited to: Hotel and Hospitality; Aviation and Transportation; Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE); Business Travel ; investment; responsible tourism; workforce diversity; and emerging areas such as attractions, cruises, wellness and cultural tourism.

The next ATM Travel Tech Stage will return to discuss how factors such as artificial intelligence, the metaverse, cryptocurrency and big data are impacting the travel industry, while showcasing cutting-edge innovations and solutions with the potential to drive the next generation of sustainable travel.

ATM 2023 will also feature a Sustainability Center for the first time in the show’s history. The space will provide a venue for a conference dedicated to the latest sustainable travel trends and innovations, as well as a backdrop for the ATM 2023 Startup Competition – an event hosted by conference partner Plug and Play where entrepreneurs will face-to-face “Sustainable Technology Presentation”.

This year’s show will see the return of the Arabian International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM), which will explore trends and opportunities in the emerging premium travel segment. When it comes to luxury travel priorities, 25% of Emiratis are looking for top-notch entertainment, while 19% place the highest priority on quality accommodation when booking travel, according to market research published by YouGov.

The International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC), the International Convention Association (ICCA) and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will also host conferences.

With a host of other must-attend events on the agenda, including sessions focused on key markets in India, China and the GCC, and a new informal high-speed networking platform, ATM 2023 will offer something for every major and interest, while Not to mention unparalleled networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates Chief Commercial Officer, said: “As we celebrate 30 years of our ATM partnership and commitment, it has been remarkable to see the event evolve and gain prominence on the global stage. We are proud of our growth at ATM and is proud to strengthen its reputation as an industry event and the role it plays in the development of our home city of Dubai, which is at the forefront of global tourism. This year, Emirates will showcase our latest products, network with our industry partners, and showcase Our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact and sustainable aviation practices.”

Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, IHG Hotels & Resorts, added: “As the Official Hotel Partner of ATM 2023, we look forward to a grand 30th edition of the event. It is a great opportunity to showcase our extensive hotel portfolio in the region, introduce new properties and upcoming Opening hotels and a great opportunity to delve further into our new ‘IHG One Rewards’ loyalty offering for leisure and business travellers. Given the theme of this year’s event ‘Working towards Net Zero’, we will also be showcasing our push to drive the entire estate commitment to environmental and social change. Most importantly, we will focus on networking with new and existing partners, suppliers and industry peers to ensure we contribute to greater collective success across the hospitality industry.”

The 30th edition of ATM will be held as part of Arabian Tourism Week, an event designed to allow industry professionals from around the world to collaborate and capitalize on market opportunities through exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and networking events.

In addition to ATM 2023, ATM Startup Competition, ATM Travel Tech, ILTM Arabia, GBTA Business Travel Forum, Buyer Speed ​​Network, Influencer Networking Event, Business Traveler Awards and Dubai Food Festival will all be held at Arabian Tourism Week 2023, which will take place on May 5 Held in Dubai from 1st to 10th April.

Strategic partners for ATM 2023 include Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as Destination Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as Official Hotel Partner and Al Rais Travel. – trade arab news agency