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ATM in Dubai celebrated its 30th edition
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, opens the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market
- The global travel, tourism, and hospitality community has gathered in Dubai to explore Arabian Travel Market 2023’s theme: ‘Working Towards Net Zero’
- With more than 2,000 exhibitors and representatives from over 150 nations, ATM 2023 will welcome an estimated 34,000 attendees over the next four days
- Taking place from 1 to 4 May at Dubai World Trade Centre, the 30th edition of the show has achieved a 27% year-on-year uptick in exhibitor participation
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 01 May 2023: His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, has officially inaugurated Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, marking the start of the 30th edition of the Middle East’s largest travel and tourism exhibition.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was accompanied at the inauguration by Vasyl Zhygalo, Portfolio Director, RX Global; Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, ATM; and a host of other VIPs who embarked on a tour of the show floor as the four-day event got underway in Dubai.
Taking place from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 May at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), exhibitor participation at this year’s event has seen a 27% rise compared to ATM 2022. The 30th edition of the show, which will welcome an anticipated 34,000 attendees over the course of the next four days, is hosting more than 2,000 exhibitors and representatives from over 150 nations.
In line with its theme, ‘Working Towards Net Zero’, ATM 2023 is enabling global tourism professionals to forge new connections, share knowledge and showcase innovations with the potential to expedite the sector’s journey towards decarbonisation.
Day one of ATM 2023 includes 20 sessions across its Global Stage, Travel Tech Stage and brand-new Sustainability Hub. In addition to the opening Ministerial Debate, highlights include Technology: The Enabler of Sustainable Travel, Sustainability in the Travel Industry: Who Pays? and Enhancing the Customer Experience Through AI. In addition, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance is addressing the importance of protecting the locations, livelihoods and communities in which hotels are located as part of the Achieving Net Positive Hospitality session.
Looking ahead to day two, John Strickland will engage in conversation with Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, on the ATM Global Stage as part the session, Emirates Returns to Growth. This discussion will cover a range of pertinent topics such as rising passenger traffic, as well as the challenges and opportunities that the carrier expects to encounter over the coming years.
Over on the Travel Tech stage, day two will begin with Getting Into the Mind of a Digital Consumer, which will feature speakers from Euromonitor, TikTok and Amadeus. Taking place at the Sustainability Hub tomorrow afternoon, Green Technology for Responsible Tourism will see experts share insights into the role of innovation in helping to minimise carbon emissions, water consumption and waste across the sector.
The 30th edition of ATM is taking place as part of Arabian Travel Week (1-10 May 2023), 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.
Those attending ATM 2023 in person can get involved in the conversation online by using the hashtag #ATMDubai when posting on social media channels.
ATM 2023 is being held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, and its 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.
Ministerial and economic figures place climate change at the top of the agenda as ATM 2023 opens
- Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is now in its 30th year
- The travel and tourism industry must adapt to tackle the pressing climate crisis, say experts speaking on the opening day of the exhibition
- Timely discussion takes place just a few months ahead of the UAE hosting COP28
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 1 May 2023: The climate crisis was under the spotlight during the opening session of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 today at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The discussion gathered tourism and economy figureheads from across the Middle East region to address how the travel industry needs to adapt to tackle the issue of climate change and meet current regulations by implementing new sustainable policies, funds and support.
Taking place on the Global Stage at ATM, the discussion was moderated by Eleni Giokos, Anchor and Correspondent CNN, and the prestigious line-up of speakers included Sujit Mohanty, Regional Division for the Arab States, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR); Dr Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board; and H.E. Walid Nassar, Minister of Tourism, Lebanon.
According to Sustainable Travel International, tourism is responsible for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions from transport, food and beverage, accommodation and related goods and services. The opening session at ATM looked at the industry’s crucial role in climate change – a particularly pertinent topic as the UAE prepares to host COP28 later this year.
The UNDRR works closely with governments, the private sector and stakeholders across the globe, including 22 Arab nations, to reduce disaster risk. Building a picture of the current situation, Mohanty said, “Globally, in the last 20 years, there have been $2.97 trillion in economic losses due to disasters. Climate change is leading to more frequent and severe climate-related hazards such as floods, heatwaves, cyclones and hurricanes. In turn, the tourism industry loses enormous amounts of money due to these hazards. Therefore the return on investment is clear – invest now to help protect the future.”
Jordan is one of the highest-ranking countries in the region on The Euromonitor Environmental Sustainability Index and responsible tourism is now a key focus for the nation. “Educating both businesses and travellers on how they contribute to the carbon footprint is one of our key priorities. In parallel with education, we are offering incentives to hotels, businesses and other stakeholders to encourage sustainable practices, ” said Dr Arabiyat.
Despite political and economic challenges, Lebanon has attracted a significant number of tourists since 2022. In the summer of last year, Lebanon welcomed two million tourists, a quarter of which were international. As a result of the growth in visitor numbers, rural tourism has seen a boost, an area of tourism which is more sustainable and, therefore, more favourable to the issue of climate change.
Speaking on the growth of rural tourism, H.E. Nassar said, “The guesthouse sector has grown in the last two to three years in Lebanon, which has been a welcome trend. We have now established a syndicate of over 150 guesthouses, encouraging tourism in more remote areas.”
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME for Arabian Travel Market, said: “The issue of climate change has never been more topical or urgent, and the strategies discussed at today’s opening session provided the perfect launchpad for ATM 2023 as we explore the future of sustainable travel under the theme: “Working towards net zero.”
Curtis added: “Over the next three days, we will be hearing from leading voices across diverse segments of the global travel and tourism sector, all aligned on a shared vision to improve the climate change situation and ensure environmental protection.”
