· Tours,
activities and attractions have become key motivators for travellers
· Travel
experiences worth $254 billion in 2019
· Close
to one million operators belong to this sector worldwide
· These insights were shared during the ARIVALDubai@ATM forum at ATM 2022 in Dubai
Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, 10 May 2022: The vital
role of in-destination experiences was under the spotlight yesterday (Monday 9th
May) during the opening session of the ARIVALDubai@ATM
forum, which gathers the industry’s
brightest minds and leading voices to discuss the essential themes defining tours,
activities, attractions and experiences in 2022 and beyond.
In 2019, travel experiences achieved
$254 billion in global gross industry sales, making it the third-largest sector
in travel and tourism after transportation and accommodation, with almost one
million operators around the world. Operators in this sector include organisers
of tours, activities, attractions and experiences with over 140 diverse
business categories working in the field. Up to
50% have launched their businesses since 2015 and upwards of 70 new startups
within tours, activities and attractions have raised $2.6 billion since 2017.
Sharing the latest global research
and insights from Arival on the ATM 2022 Travel Tech Stage yesterday, Douglas
Quinby, Co-Founder and CEO, Arival, said, “We
surveyed travellers about what matters most to them when they are travelling
and they prioritised attractions, activities and tours above other factors. Experiences
are not just the ‘things to do’ - they are the reasons to go, representing a
significant opportunity for the travel and tourism industry.’’
Technology adoption and getting connected is the major
focus for the in-destination industry as it moves to a new phase. Quinby added,
“Consumers are increasingly booking their travel experiences online - a trend
that has accelerated significantly since the pandemic. The sector, therefore, needs
to look to technology adoption and working with reservation system providers to
make their products more accessible online.’’
The ARIVALDubai@ATM
forum advances the creation of in-destination
experiences by providing insights and a community for creators and sellers of
tours, activities and attractions. For the first time in Dubai since a
successful virtual format at ATM in 2021, the event examines current and future
trends and focuses on growing business through marketing, technology,
distribution, thought leadership, and executive-level connections. Other topics
discussed at the one-day forum included the role of sustainability in driving
the in-destination business forward.
Elsewhere
on the agenda at ATM 2022 Travel Tech Stage, the inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up
Competition also began on the ATM Travel Tech Stage,
seeing a selection of the region’s most innovative start-ups pitch to a panel
of industry judges for the chance to secure up to $500,000 of investment, plus
the opportunity to compete for a further $500,000 as part of the hit TV
show, Meet the Drapers.
Organised by Reed Exhibitions and working in collaboration with the
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET),
ATM 2022 focuses on the theme of ‘the future of international travel and
tourism’, shining a spotlight on the growth trajectory of the industry, as
travel and tourism professionals address the challenges and opportunities that
lie ahead. Other key events taking place during the 29th edition of
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) from 9 – 12 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre include
ATM Travel Tech (Formerly Travel Forward) and ILTM Arabia.
If you are planning to attend
ATM in-person, please feel free to post using the hashtags #ImGoingtoATM and #ATMDubai.
To register for ATM 2022, go to https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb/enquire.html.
For more news about ATM, you can visit https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/.
