By Stephen Renard
DUBAI, U.A.E. — The Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the largest travel and tourism trade show in the Middle East, was held from May 1 to 4 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and attracted more than 32,000 visitors and 2,100 exhibitors from more than 150 countries. The main theme for 2023 was “Working Towards Net Zero,” which explored how innovative sustainable travel trends will evolve and identified strategies for growth within specific key vertical sectors. This year also marked ATM’s 30th anniversary.
The growth of the ATM can be attributed to the substantial development of hotels in Dubai, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Qatar. The ATM was divided into three main halls. The first hall hosted exhibits from the Asia Pacific region; the second housed major hotel companies, tech firms and reservation companies; and he third was populated with Middle East hotels, airlines and local service companies.
Just over a decade ago, the ATM expanded exponentially, occupying five times its usual space due to hosting the sale of Dubai real estate. Now, the ATM encompasses hotels, tech and service companies from around the world.
The success of the ATM can also be attributed to the UAE efficient handling of COVID-19, with the country’s hotel business receiving a boost from last year’s World Fair. In the near future, gaming will further enhance the ATM’s exhibition as Wynn and other casinos make their entrance into the country. With these achievements, the UAE has demonstrated its ability to turn challenges into opportunities for innovation and development.
