More than 46,000 industry professionals from over 160 countries – including 33,500 visitors – attended the 31st edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which concluded yesterday in Dubai, UAE.
This represents a 15% year-on-year increase in attendees compared to ATM’s landmark 30th edition, setting a new record for the show and demonstrating the strength, resilience and momentum of the global travel and tourism sector.
ATM 2025 will take place from April 28 to May 1.
In line with ATM 2024’s theme, ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, over 2,600 exhibitors gathered at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) to explore the drivers behind industry growth and identify future opportunities within the global tourism sector.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “My colleagues and I are delighted that so many industry professionals from around the world were able to join us in Dubai to explore how innovation and entrepreneurship are shaping a more efficient, profitable and sustainable tourism sector for future generations. We are thrilled to have set a new show record, underscoring our position as the travel and tourism exhibition of choice as we continue to drive global growth within the industry.”
ATM 2024 welcomed His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, who chaired a meeting of The Executive Council during the show. H.H. Sheikh Hamdan approved a series of major transport and tourism-related projects in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
This year’s opening session saw policy-makers from across the region explain how Gulf nations are working together to streamline the GCC’s tourism offering. The panel discussion, which took place following opening remarks from H.E. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, featured insights from H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; H.E. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority; H.E. Azzan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of Tourism at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in Oman; and H.E. Sarah Buhijji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority.
Experts on the Indian outbound market shared key insights during the session ‘Unlocking the True Potential of Indian Travellers’. Virendra Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of VIDEC, a travel, tourism and hospitality boutique advisory and analytics firm, provided details surrounding market opportunity assessments, channel and distribution analysis, characteristics and behaviours of Indian travellers, and projections of the market’s outbound travel trends over the next decade.
Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024’s strategic partners included Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as Destination Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel as Official DMC Partner.
