More than 2,500 exhibitors
and 40,000 industry professionals from 150 countries will explore how
innovation can transform tourism at the largest travel industry event in the
Middle East
Hospitality
professionals from every corner of the world will gather in Dubai tomorrow (Sunday,
28 April) 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 today (27th
April).
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.”
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| ATM 2018 |
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.
“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.
On the Global
Stage, the opening session ‘Arabia
China Tourism Forum’ will take place from 15.30 on Sunday 28th
April. With
China set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030, an expert
panel will discuss how destinations around the world can capitalise on this
growth. The forum will also include a 30-minute networking session with over 80
Chinese buyers.
Curtis added: “Adding to this, this
year’s event is set to showcase the largest ever exhibition from Asia in the
history of ATM, with the continent witnessing an 8% YoY increase in total show
area and Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka being the largest
exhibiting countries.”
Turning a spotlight on upcoming hotel
developments, technologies and concepts that will shape the region’s
hospitality sector going forward, the Global Stage will host the inaugural ATM
Hotel Industry Summit from 14.40 on Tuesday 30th April.
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.
As well as the ultra-innovative Travel
Tech Show at ATM, other calendar favourites returning for ATM 2019 include the
Best Stand Awards, the Travel Agents’ Academy and
the Digital Influencers and Buyers’
Speed Networking Events.
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.
