Organisers report that affluent and ultra-high-net-worth travellers are increasingly seeking exclusive, meaningful experiences that combine privacy, cultural authenticity and high-tech convenience. This trend reflects a broader shift in luxury consumption from traditional premium hospitality toward lifestyle-driven travel that integrates private aviation, yachting, wellness and design-led living.
ATM 2026 will debut the Ultra Luxury Lounge, a dedicated space enabling selective business networking between luxury travel suppliers and buyers serving high-net-worth clientele. The concept represents the start of a multi-year focus on the evolving relationship between luxury travel, innovation and sustainability, and will include private jet operators, bespoke tour designers and specialist hospitality brands.
Market projections reinforce these developments. Fortune Business Insights estimates the global luxury travel market will expand from USD 2.7 trillion in 2025 to USD 4.8 trillion by 2032. Meanwhile, advisory reports indicate strong demand for private aviation, particularly in the Gulf, as personalisation and privacy gain importance.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “While luxury travel remains one of ATM’s strongest growth pillars, ultra-luxury is emerging as the next frontier, reflecting the region’s maturing market and high-spending audience. To meet this growing demand, we have created the ATM Ultra Luxury Lounge, an exclusive space designed to connect ultra-luxury brands with buyers serving high-net-worth travellers, elevating their ATM experience through curated, high-value networking and collaboration opportunities.
“Ambitious projects such as Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea developments, the forthcoming Cheval Blanc in Dubai, which will be located on Naïa Island and the private island-based Bvlgari Resort & Mansions in Abu Dhabi, combined with increasing interest in private jet purchases and rentals in the region, all underscore the demand within this sector.”
In addition to a keen focus on the ultra-luxury segment, ATM 2026 will continue to shine a light on luxury hospitality brands such as Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Jumeirah International, and One & Only, as well as some of the world’s top-rated luxury destinations, such as the Maldives and Mauritius, who have become a prominent part of the growing segment amongst the hospitality brands on showcase at ATM.
According to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2025, Middle East luxury travel spending continues to outperform the global average, with outbound travellers from the region spending 50% more per trip. Experium’s insights into luxury trends further point to sustainability, wellness and digitally enhanced service as key differentiators in the coming years.
ATM organisers say the event will continue to strengthen Dubai’s role as a global hub for innovation in tourism. Alongside the Ultra Luxury Lounge, ATM 2026 will feature IBTM@ATM and an expanded ATM Travel Tech programme with a new Tech and Innovation hub, showcasing how travel suppliers are adapting to new traveller profiles while enhancing business connectivity and investment opportunities across the sector.
Tags: Danielle Curtis, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026