ATM opens today with focus on innovation

Hospitality professionals from every corner of the world will gather in Dubai today for the opening of Arabian Travel Market, ATM, 2019, the largest travel industry exhibition in the Middle East.

Identifying the top tourism trends showing the greatest growth potential is one of the most valuable insights Arabian Travel Market has to offer, and this year’s event — which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre — will be no different as it launches Arabian Travel Week — an umbrella brand comprising four co-located shows.

The 26th edition of ATM will form part of the inaugural Arabian Travel Week, as well as ILTM Arabia, CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa — a new route development forum launching this year and new consumer-led event ATM Holiday Shopper which kicked off proceedings on Saturday.

Building on the success of last year’s event, ATM 2019 will welcome over 2,500 exhibiting companies and an expected 40,000 attendees, with over 150 countries represented, 65 national pavilions, and more than 100 new exhibitors set to make their ATM debut including Expo 2020 Dubai, flynas, Belarus National Tourism Agency, Moscow Committee for Tourism and Montenegro National Tourism Organisation, South Africa Tourism Bureau and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The introduction of two new events for 2019, as well as the creation of the Arabian Travel Week umbrella brand, was made possible due to the past success of ATM and ILTM Arabia. The debut ATM Holiday Shopper provides an exclusive consumer element, while CONNECT MEIA will provide a brand-new route development forum for our industry.» Running until Wednesday 1st May, ATM 2019 has adopted cutting-edge technology and innovation as its main theme, and this will be integrated across all show verticals and activities.

Over the next four days, professionals from across the industry spectrum will discuss the ongoing unprecedented digital disruption, and the emergence of innovative technologies that will fundamentally alter the way in which the hospitality industry operates in the region.

Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said: “Our presence at Arabian Travel Market forms a core part of our efforts to raise awareness of Dubai as a diverse travel destination to global audiences, and we are pleased to extend our support once again to the 26th edition of this influential event. We remain focused on strengthening collaborations with our network of industry partners, in turn underlining the enormous diversity that the emirate offers global travellers.” “Keeping in mind this year’s theme of innovation and technology, Dubai as a destination has already embraced a ‘digital, mobile and social first’ agenda that places future readiness at its core while promoting the adoption of disruptive technology. As a global hub of innovation, we will continue to support public-private sector partnerships to evolve our product offering and the way we engage with today’s digitally-savvy consumers. Keeping ahead of the global competition, we are anchored by an unwavering vision of establishing Dubai as the number one most-visited and innovative city in the world,’ he added.

“Technology and innovation will also represent key focuses during this year’s show. Bots, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the Internet of Things are expected to result in billion-dollar savings for our industry, so it is vital that we empower exhibitors and attendees to explore how these tools can be leveraged to benefit their customers and businesses,» said Curtis.

Participants will enjoy four days of business networking opportunities and a full programme of insightful seminar sessions including aviation, the future of selling travel and the evolution of bespoke luxury travel as well as how immersive technology will transform the visitor experience at mega events such as the upcoming Expo 2020.

ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed over 39,000 people to its 2018 event, showcasing the largest exhibition in the history of the show, with hotels comprising 20% of the floor area.

From new infrastructure and regional development hotspots to technologies and hotel models that put the guest experience first, a panel of key industry experts will discuss how the industry will evolve over the next decade.

Other Global Stage highlights will be a focused seminar session on Saudi Arabia’s tourism potential and a keynote from Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline, as well as the third Global Halal Tourism Summit which will explore the top trends within the sector as well as the growing role of technology, including the digitisation of Umrah.

WAM