·
·
Arabian Travel Week 2023 events include ATM, ILTM,
GBTA sessions and more
·
ATM 2023 sees 27% YoY rise in exhibitors, with
growth across all show sectors
·
Speaker line-up includes industry leaders such
as Emirates’ Sir Tim Clark
· Milestone show will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 1-4 May 2023
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates, 27 April 2023: Arabian Travel
Market (ATM) 2023 is ready to welcome the global travel, tourism and
hospitality community to the UAE from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 May. The 30th
edition of the show will host over 2,000 exhibitors, representatives from more
than 150 countries and an anticipated 34,000 attendees.
Taking
place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) in collaboration with the emirate’s
Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), this year’s conference will once again
form a central component of the UAE’s annual Arabian Travel Week.
In line with its theme, ‘Working Towards Net Zero’, ATM 2023 will provide a forum in which participants can forge new connections, share knowledge and showcase innovations with the potential to expedite the global travel sector’s journey towards decarbonisation.
Vasyl
Zhygalo, Managing Director of RX Middle East and
Portfolio Director of WTM, IBTM and RX, said: “Following the very successful
WTM Africa and WTM Latin America earlier this spring it is great to now see the
international travel community engage with Arabian Travel Market. We’ve seen a robust
increase in exhibitor growth across all show areas and it’s exciting to be able
to welcome back our Chinese colleagues after remaining covid restrictions were
lifted in the region.”
“With
sustainability an ever-increasing consideration for the travel industry, and indeed
across the WTM and IBTM event portfolios, it’s never been more important for
the sector to interact with ATM 2023’s theme, ‘Working Towards Net Zero’ and explore
the vast array of business trends and opportunities showcased around this topic
at the show.”
Danielle
Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel
Market, added: “ATM 2023 will provide a platform for a diverse array of public
and private-sector speakers, all of whom will offer expert insights into
sustainable travel trends, responsible tourism and a host of other
industry-critical issues.
“Our
opening
session, for instance, will see policymakers take to the ATM Global
Stage for a ministerial debate on how travel can tackle the climate crisis,”
Curtis continued. “Moderated by CNN’s Eleni Giokos, this panel will see His
Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy; His Excellency Makram
Mustafa Abdul Karim Al-Qaisi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan; His Excellency Minister of Tourism Eng. Walid Nassar,
Minister of Tourism, Lebanon; and Sukit Mohanty, Chief of
the UNDRR for Arab States; come together to explore the ways in which our
industry is working towards net zero.”
Exhibitor
participation in ATM 2023 has risen by 27% compared to last year’s event, with growth
registered across all show sectors. These include regional upticks for the
Middle East, representation for which will be 24% larger than in 2022, Europe
(17% larger), Asia (15% larger) and Africa (8.5% larger). The event’s Travel
Tech and hotels sectors have also witnessed sizeable year-on-year growth, expanding
by 62% and 37.5%, respectively.
Chinese exhibitors and
travel professionals are making a welcome return to ATM 2023, after the country
lifted its Covid-related travel restrictions earlier this year. China became the world’s top source market in
2019, with 155 million tourists spending more than $250 billion overseas, and CNN
predicts the nation’s outbound market will recover to around six million travellers
per month by the summer of 2023.
Southeast Asia and India
will feature prominently at this year’s event too. According to the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI), Indian nationals spent a record $10 billion on overseas
travel during the first nine months of 2022, an increase of nearly 43% compared
to pre-Covid figures. Other estimates indicate the number of annual outbound
journeys will reach more than 27 million by 2024, with a total value of over
$42 billion.
Saudi Arabia will have a
considerable presence at ATM 2023. The Kingdom registered more international
arrivals than any other Arab nation during the first nine months of last year, welcoming
more than 18 million visitors during this period, according to government data.
Tourism spending in KSA hit $7.2bn in H1 2022.
To
mark its 30th edition, ATM will be unveiling a dedicated
sustainability pledge that has been designed to reinforce RX’s commitment to
the delivery of sustainable events through the use of environmentally friendly
materials, the elimination of single-use plastics and other forward-thinking
initiatives. In addition to setting out the show’s journey towards net zero,
this pledge will be accompanied by a new playbook, which offers participants a
framework within which to mitigate their environmental impact before, during and
after the event.
His
Excellency, Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai
Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, commented: “It is indeed
fitting that this year’s ATM theme focusses on sustainability to build a better
future for tourism. For us, this theme assumes even greater significance as
2023 is UAE’s Year of Sustainability and Dubai will be hosting COP28, the UN
Climate Change Conference. Dubai has made significant strides in this area,
with strategies to reduce carbon footprint and create a more environmentally
conscious tourism industry, aligned with the ambition of our visionary
leadership to make Dubai the best city in the world to visit, live, and work
in. As momentum continues to accelerate across the global tourism and MICE
segments, we welcome the pursuit of a more evolved, collaborative, inclusive
and long-term approach to sustainable growth and practices for the industry.”
This
year’s show will also feature the inaugural ‘ATM Sustainable Stand Award’, the
results of which will be announced as part of the ATM 2023 Best Stand Awards. Entries
will be judged according to an extensive range of sustainable criteria, including
supplier choice, material usage, operational efficiency, and even what will
happen to stands once the exhibition has concluded.
In
addition to sustainability, the ATM Global Stage will host a variety of
sessions focused on pivotal industry issues, including, but not limited to:
hotels and hospitality; aviation and transport; meetings, incentives,
conferences and exhibitions (MICE); business travel; investment; responsible
tourism; workforce diversification; and emerging segments such as attractions,
cruises, wellness and cultural tourism.
The
upcoming edition will see the return of the ATM Travel Tech Stage, which will
host discussions on how factors such as artificial intelligence, the metaverse,
cryptocurrency and big data are impacting the travel sector, while showcasing
cutting-edge innovations and solutions with the potential to drive the next
generation of sustainable tourism.
ATM
2023 will also feature a Sustainability Hub for the first time in the show’s
history. This space will offer a venue for sessions dedicated to the latest
sustainable travel trends and innovations, while providing the backdrop for the
ATM 2023 Start-up Competition – an event hosted by conference partner Plug and
Play, which will see entrepreneurs go head-to-head in a ‘Sustainable Tech Pitch
Battle’.
This
year’s show will see the return of International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM)
Arabia, which will explore trends and opportunities within the burgeoning field
of high-end tourism. In terms of
luxury travel priorities, 25% of those living in the UAE are looking for great
entertainment, whereas 19% place the biggest emphasis on premium-quality
accommodation when booking trips, according to market research published by
YouGov.
There
will also be sessions from the International Tourism & Investment
Conference (ITIC), the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).
With
a wide array of other must-attend events on the agenda, including sessions
focused on the key markets of India, China and the GCC, plus a new informal
speed networking platform, ATM 2023 will offer something to suit every
specialism and interest, not to mention unparalleled networking and
knowledge-sharing opportunities.
Adnan
Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates,
said: “As we
celebrate 30 years of partnership and commitment at ATM, it’s remarkable to see
this event’s evolution and growing prominence on the global stage. We are proud
of the role we have played in the growth of ATM and strengthening its mindshare
as an industry event, as well as the growth of our home city Dubai, which is at
the forefront of global tourism. This year, Emirates will be showcasing our
latest products, connecting with our industry partners as well as demonstrating
our commitment to minimise our environmental impact and sustainable aviation
practices.”
Haitham
Mattar, Managing Director of IHG Hotels &
Resorts, added: “As the official hotel partner for
ATM 2023, we look forward to the events’ momentous 30th edition. It
is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our wide-ranging portfolio of hotels in
the region, introduce new and upcoming hotels and delve further into our new
‘IHG One Rewards’ loyalty offering for both leisure and business travellers.
Given the theme of this year’s event, “Working towards Net Zero,” we will also
be showcasing our commitments to drive environmental and social change across
our estate. Most
importantly, we will be focussed on connecting with new and existing partners,
suppliers and industry peers to ensure we facilitate greater, collective
success for the hospitality sector at large.”
The
30th edition of ATM will take place as part of Arabian Travel Week,
a festival of events dedicated to enabling industry professionals from all over
the world to collaborate and capitalise on market opportunities through
exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and
networking events.
In
addition to ATM 2023, the ATM Start-up Competition, ATM Travel Tech, ILTM
Arabia, GBTA Business Travel Forums, Buyer Speed Networking, the Influencer
Networking Event, the Business Traveller Awards and Dubai Food Festival will
all take place under the auspices of Arabian Travel Week 2023, which will run
from Monday 1 May to Wednesday 10 May across Dubai.
ATM 2023’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as the Destination Partner, Emirates as the Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as the Official Hotel Partner and Al Rais Travel as the Official DMC Partner
Tags: Vasyl Zhygalo, RX Middle East, Issam Kazim, Dubai Corporation, Adnan Kazim, Emirates, Haitham Mattar, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Danielle Curtis, Arabian Travel Market, Arabian Travel Week, ATM 2023
