With over 2,500 exhibitors and 40,000 industry professionals from 150 countries gathered to celebrate the 25th edition of the largest travel and tourism event in the Middle East, Arabian Travel Market – ATM 2018 is in full flow in Dubai. Travel trade professionals from across the world’s hospitality industry descended upon Dubai to participate in the region’s leading travel industry showcase. Celebrating its 25th year, ATM 2018, which is taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre, will showcase the largest exhibition of regional and global hotel brands in the history of ATM, with hotels comprising 20% of the total show area.
Building on the success of last year’s exhibition, where more than 39,000 industry professionals signed deals worth US$2.5bn, ATM 2018 welcomed over 2,500 confirmed exhibitors including 65 national pavilions. More than 100 new exhibitors are set to make their ATM debut this year. Running until Wednesday 25th April, ATM 2018 has adopted Responsible Tourism – including sustainable travel trends – as its main theme and this will be integrated across all show verticals and activities.
In celebration of ATM’s 25th year, there will be a series of seminar sessions looking back on how tourism has changed and developed in the MENA region over the last quarter of a century and also forecasting what lies ahead for the industry over the next 25 years. In addition, the show will feature four days of business networking opportunities and advice clinics as well as a full program of insightful seminar sessions including Halal Tourism, Travel Technology, Aviation, Instagram and Airbnb to name a few.
Also new this year is the ATM Student Conference – ‘Career in Travel’. Taking place on the final day (Wednesday 25th), the program is aimed at ‘tomorrow’s’ travel professionals and hoteliers.
For the first time, ATM has partnered with the organizers of the International Hotel Investment Conference (IHIF) to present the inaugural Destination Investment panel. Taking place on Monday 23rd April on the ATM Global Stage, the session will discuss what drives investment in travel destinations across the Middle East and neighboring regions.
Running alongside the main exhibition on the first two days of the show (22-23 April), ILTM Arabia will return following a successful debut at last year’s event. International luxury suppliers and key luxury buyers will connect via one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments and networking opportunities.
