The development of the travel and tourism sector throughout the Middle East region shows no signs of abating, with GCC hotel construction contract awards set to rise by 16 percent this year alone.
More than 23,000 visitors attended the 29th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022, as industry leaders gathered at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) to share insights into the future of international travel and tourism.
On this occasion, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME for Arabian Travel Market said, “The Arabian Travel Market 2022 attracted 1,500 exhibitors from 150 countries, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 100 percent.”
She noted that “These figures are especially impressive given that lockdowns are still taking place in China and other destinations.”
The value of UAE and Saudi Arabian projects accounted for 90 percent of all regional hospitality contracts awarded in 2021, according to research from BNC Network. With analysis from Colliers International forecasting that $4.5 billion worth of hotel construction contracts will be awarded in the GCC during 2022, industry experts took to the ATM Global Stage for a panel discussion about the future of the region’s hospitality industry.
The four-day live event was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline, and Group Chairman of Dubai World.
The opening day
The show’s opening day featured industry experts exploring the role that in-destination experiences are playing in shaping the future of global travel and tourism.
Later in the afternoon, ministers from the UAE, Jordan, Jamaica, and Botswana took to the ATM Global Stage to discuss the importance of investment, technology, and inclusivity in driving Middle East tourism forward, as part of the International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC) Ministerial Roundtable.
The Second day
The second day of ATM 2022 saw senior representatives from Air Arabia and Etihad Aviation Group join JLS Consulting’s John Strickland on the ATM Global Stage for a discussion about efficiency and sustainability within the aviation sector. Later in the afternoon, D/A’s Paul Kelly offered his perspective on how to connect with the Arabic travel audience more effectively.
At the end of day two, the video-sharing platform ‘Welcome to the World’ secured up to $500,000 of investment after winning the inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Startup Competition on the ATM Travel Tech Stage.
Day three
Day three of ATM featured sessions focused on what guests really want, sports tourism, hospitality tech trends, dining experiences, metaverse-based travel services, the role of influencers, and more.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) also hosted two-panel discussions on the third day, shining a spotlight on sustainability and long-term trends within the business travel segment.
The morning sessions included a session hosted by WTM Responsible Tourism, on the ATM Global Stage, focusing on how the latest innovations can be used to promote responsible technology for travel and tourism.
Concluding this year’s edition of ATM, afternoon sessions included a discussion about the return and rise of city tourism.
Final day
The final day of the live event also included the announcement of ATM 2022’s ‘Best Stand Design’ and ‘People’s Choice Award’, which were presented to SAUDIA for their futuristic and striking concept. Other stands awarded for their creativity included the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah International, Ishraq International, and TBS/Vbooking.
Following the success of the hybrid approach adopted for last year’s edition, the live, in-person component of ATM 2022 will be followed by the third installment of ATM Virtual, which will take place next week from Tuesday 17 to Wednesday 18 May.
