Up to
fifteen start-ups from across the tourism and hospitality sector will be
given the opportunity to pitch for up to half
a million dollar of funding, thanks to a brand-new competition that will take
place at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022.
Danielle
Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel
Market, which will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9-12 May
2022, said: “The ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition offers an incredible
opportunity for entrepreneurs from across the industry to pitch their business
plans in front of our expert judges, not to mention a global audience of
industry professionals and investors.
“In
addition to pitching for up to $500,000 of investment at ATM 2022, the winning
start-up will be given the chance to compete for a further $500,000 of funding
on Tim Draper’s hugely popular television show, Meet
the Drapers.”
The inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition, which will take place on the ATM Travel Tech Stage on Tuesday 10 May 2022, will see 15 start-ups go head-to-head. Spanning the segments of travel and transportation, hospitality tech, and experiences and attractions, each pitch will last for five minutes and will be followed by a five-minute Q&A session with ATM’s panel of industry judges.
atm-travel-tech-stage
The
overall winner will receive a minimum of $30,000 up to a maximum of $500,000
investment, a DASC Certificate and the chance to appear on Tim Draper’s TV
show, Meet the Drapers, where they
compete for another $500,000 while gaining access to a crowdfunding network of
12 million viewers. A further two runners up will receive the DASC Certificate
only.
“The
aim of the ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition is to help intensify the
race to a sustainable future for travel and tourism,” said Curtis. “In
conjunction with AladdinB2B
and Draper
Associates, we will showcase technologies and innovations from
the brightest minds in travel, transportation, hospitality, experiences and
attractions.”
In
addition to a place in the competition, each finalist will have the opportunity
to invest in a pod located in ATM 2022’s start-up area; access to a booking and
matchmaking platform powered by AladdinB2B and Draper VC, which can be used to
arrange meetings with prospective investors; and global exposure through ATM
Travel Tech’s various marketing platforms.
The
competition’s panel of expert judges will also be on hand share their extensive
start-up experience, offering tips on the most effective fundraising methods,
the biggest challenges faced by new ventures, and the best channels to reach
investors.
“Any
start-ups that are interested in taking part can visit the ATM
Travel Tech page to find out more about this exciting competition,”
Curtis added.
Now
in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre
(DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) – formerly the
Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) – ATM show highlights in
2022 will include, among others, destination summits focused on the key source
markets of Saudi Arabia and India.
Previously
called Travel Forward, the revamped and rebranded ATM Travel Tech event will
take place on the ATM Travel Tech Stage, hosting seminars, debates and presentations
as well as the inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition.
The
dedicated ARIVALDubai@ATM forum, meanwhile, will cover current and future
trends for tour operators and attractions, focusing on growing business through
marketing, technology, distribution, thought leadership and executive-level
connections.
ATM
will once again play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, a festival of
events dedicated to enabling travel professionals from all over the world to
collaborate and shape the recovery of the Middle East travel industry through
exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and
networking events.
The
UAE remains one of the most Covid-secure countries on the planet, with
consistently low case rates and robust measures to ensure tourists' safety at
every stage of their visit. Like its neighbouring emirates, Dubai is committed
to maintaining the highest hygiene and safety standards. The World Travel and
Tourism Council (WTTC) has endorsed its pandemic management, awarding the city
a 'Safe Travels' stamp.
In
line with the UAE government’s forward-thinking transition to a
four-and-a-half-day, Monday-to-Friday workweek, this year’s edition of ATM will
commence on Monday 9 May.
For more news about ATM,
please visit: https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/
If
you’d like to learn more about ATM, visit wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html.
Tags: Arabian Travel Market, ATM 2022
