ATM 2025 opens today bringing together over 2,800 exhibitors

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

The 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) will open today (Monday) at Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together more than 2,800 exhibitors and over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries. Underscoring the growing importance of ATM in the global tourism landscape, international exhibitors account for 67% of companies showcased at the event, while the Middle East comprises 33% of exhibitors this year.

Based on the theme, “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity”, ATM 2025 explores how the future of tourism will be shaped by connectivity across borders, industries and communities. The event will focus on how connectivity enables a more sustainable, inclusive, and globally integrated travel industry, an idea that will be explored across the show floor, from the insightful ATM Conference to targeted networking sessions.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director for the Middle East, Arabian Travel Market, said: “ATM 2025 is on track to break records in terms of both attendance and exhibitor participation. This week, we look forward to welcoming travel professionals from all travel sectors and verticals, including the leisure, business events, luxury and corporate travel sectors.

To accommodate the growing interest in ATM, we have added two additional halls this year and will deliver the ATM Conference Programme across three dynamic content stages - the Global Stage, Future Stage and Business Events Stage. I’m particularly looking forward to IBTM@ATM, a dedicated business events zone, and ATM Travel Tech, which highlights the transformative role of technology in shaping the future of the industry.”

Asia stands out as the fastest-growing region at ATM, with exhibitor participation rising by an impressive 20%. This growth has been driven by factors including enhanced regional connectivity and growing ties with international markets.

ATM will feature a diverse range of Asian destinations, including Japan, Macao, the Maldives, Mauritius, South Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines highlighting the region’s increasing influence in global travel.

As India’s tourism industry achieves notable growth, the country’s presence at ATM has increased by 30% this year, driven by a strong presence from exhibitors including the regional tourism boards from Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and airline carriers such as Air India and Air India Express.

International markets account for over 52% of visitor registrations, with UAE and GCC visitors contributing significantly to the total figures, accounting for 48%. The top five registered international markets for ATM 2025 are India, Egypt, UK, Türkiye and USA, underscoring the event’s wide-reaching appeal across key global markets.

Philip M. Barnes, Chief Executive Officer, Rotana said, “Once again Rotana is delighted to be the official registration partner for ATM. As a home grown brand, Rotana views ATM as an exciting opportunity to showcase the region, and our strong partnerships within the industry.” Reflecting the travel industry’s total convergence with technology and innovation, ATM Travel Tech is larger than ever, with an increase of over 23% in the number of products presented at the event. A rapidly growing segment running parallel to ATM, ATM Travel Tech offers insights into the innovative technologies shaping the travel and hospitality sector, features thought-provoking discussions on the Future Stage, and will span both Hall 1 and Za’abeel Hall 3 at this year’s event.

On the opening day of ATM, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr and a globally renowned speaker in AI and Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist, will lead an insightful session on the Future Stage, entitled “AI adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy”, she will explore why organizations struggle with AI adoption, identify the biggest challenges in the field, and discuss the implications of AI for the future.

ATM Travel Tech will house the new Start-Up and Innovation Zone, which will showcase the next wave of travel pioneers and feature an immersive VR experience that promises to provide visitors with a new perspective on the possibilities within the industry. For the fourth consecutive year, ATM will host the Start-Up Pitch Battle, spotlighting the most innovative minds in the Middle East.

A significant highlight of ATM 2025 is the launch of IBTM@ATM, a dedicated zone to connect business event buyers with a wide range of exhibitors, including venues and hotels, convention bureaus, tourism boards, airlines and more. At the heart of this new feature is the Business Events Stage, which will host a series of insightful sessions throughout the show, exploring strategies to unlock growth and opportunities in business events and corporate travel.

More than a networking event, the renowned ATM Conference will deliver the latest industry insights from over 200 experts across three content stages - the Global Stage, the Future Stage, and the Business Events Stage.