Over 40,000 visitors attended the 30th edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) which took place from May 1-4 during Dubai’s Arabian Travel Week. The event was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and brought together more than 2,100 exhibitors and representatives from over 150 nations under the theme “working towards net zero.“
ATM featured a variety of sessions where travel, tourism, and business professionals from around the world were able to forge new connections, share knowledge and explore trends as well as innovations that are driving sustainability within the global industry.
Some highlights-
1. Sir Timothy Clark, President, Emirates Airline, addressed travel and tourism delegates on the Global Stage with renowned aviation commentator John Strickland, where they discussed the resurgence in passenger numbers that is being witnessed by the airline industry worldwide, as well as the opportunities and challenges ahead. In the last quarter, Dubai has welcomed five million visitors, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers. According to Clark, demand will continue to be as robust as it has been recently, and the leisure and hospitality sectors will see a big uptick in the next five to 10 years.
2. flydubai unveiled its latest premium business class seat, “The Business Suite,” that will be introduced on a number of the carrier’s newest aircraft in the last quarter of 2023 and deployed on select flights around the carrier’s growing network. Close collaboration with Safran Seats, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of aircraft seats, and JPA Design, a multinational design company operating in the transportation, interiors, and product design arenas, is what resulted in the best-in-class Business Class seating product.
3. Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand their interline agreement and provide travellers additional itinerary options when visiting the UAE. This first of its kind agreement between the two UAE carriers aims to capitalise on opportunities to boost tourism to the UAE from key source markets by enabling visitors to experience more than one destination in a single itinerary.
Additionally, to mark three decades of ATM, there were a number of special events on the agenda during the four-day exhibition. Hilton won the inaugural Sustainable Stand Award. Selected by an independent panel of judges, the hospitality brand was chosen for its decision to use a local supplier in the creation of its stand as well as its commitment to repurposing materials as much as possible over the coming three years. Hilton also used a carbon calculator to measure the carbon footprint associated with its involvement in the show and has taken steps to mitigate this output.
The prestigious Pearl Award was also created exclusively for the 30th edition of ATM and awarded to Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, for his outstanding contribution to the travel and tourism sector in the UAE. McLoughlin began his career at Dubai Duty Free in 1983 and has since helped to transform the organisation into a $2 billion company.
ATM 2023 was held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, with strategic partners 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.
For the latest ATM news, please visit the ATM official website.
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