·
GlobalData
analysts predict India’s outbound trips will hit 29 million by 2025
·
India
remained biggest source market for Dubai in 2021, with 910,000 visitors
· Flight queries for UAE and Egypt up 30% in India, according to Thomas Cook
As Indian flight queries for the UAE and Egypt witness
a significant uptick, and the country retains its position as Dubai’s biggest
source market, India’s tourism sector will be a key focus for delegates,
exhibitors and attendees at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022,
which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Monday 9 to
Thursday 12 May.
With India’s travel industry projected to account
for 29 million outbound trips per year by 2025, according to analysis from
GlobalData, and ResearchandMarkets.com predicting its outbound tourism market
will surpass $42 billion by the end of 2024, ATM 2022 will offer a timely
opportunity to explore the vast potential offered by the country’s travel,
tourism and hospitality sector.
Data from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism
(DET) shows that the country ranked top of the emirate’s source market list for
2021, accounting for 910,000 inbound visitors, and short-haul flight queries
for destinations including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Egypt have witnessed a 30
percent uptick among Indian tourists, according to Thomas Cook (India).
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME –
Arabian Travel Market, said: “The global pandemic had a major impact on India’s
travel sector but, as our industry’s global post-pandemic recovery continues to
gather pace, Indian tourists appear eager to return to their favourite Middle
Eastern destinations. We are excited to explore the vast potential of this
vital source market as part of our dedicated buyer forum at ATM 2022.”
The number of inbound
tourists travelling from India to the UAE has witnessed a 50 percent increase
of late, with VFS Global processing 40,000 travel visas since Dubai reopened
its borders following the pandemic. With
a buyer forum dedicated exclusively to India, attendees, exhibitors and
delegates at ATM 2022 will have ample opportunity to take a deep dive into the
country’s tourism, travel and hospitality industry, examining current and
future trends, and exploring the ways in which destinations across the Middle
East can capitalise on this important source market.
Organised in conjunction with TravTalk India, the ‘The
Indian traveller: writing the global recovery sequel’ discussion will
explore pent-up demand and eagerness to travel within India’s immense outbound travel
sector. Moderated by Mr SanJeet, founder and CEO of DDP Group and Buzz Travel
Marketing, the session will include expert insights from Jaal Kalpesh Shah,
Group Managing Director of Travel Designer Group, and Sandeep Dwivedi, COO of
InterGlobe Technology Quotient Pvt Ltd.
ATM 2022 will also host a range of high-profile
exhibitors from India, including India Tourism, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism
Board, ITC Hotels, Le Passage to India Tours and Travels, Vervotech Solutions,
Qtech Software, TI Infotech, and WebEngage/Webklipper Technologies amongst
others.
“With the reopening of the Indian skies, flights to
and from India now reach 3,250 flights per week by 66 airlines. Emirates alone
is now back to pre-pandemic frequencies, operating 170 weekly flights to nine
cities, which underscores the importance of the Indian market for the region.
“ATM 2022 offers the ideal forum in which to
explore synergies between the GCC and Indian tourism sectors, and to identify
opportunities to grow inbound travel in the future,” she added.
In addition to the dedicated India forum, ATM 2022
will also feature sessions focused on Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning tourism sector.
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, a destination summit focused on the key source
market of India, as well as Saudi Arabia.
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: ATM 2022
