The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, which concluded on May 9th in Dubai, marked an unprecedented success, setting a new attendance record with more than 46,000 industry professionals from over 160 countries gathering at the Dubai World Trade Centre. This year’s edition, the 31st in its series, saw a significant 15% increase in attendees compared to last year, emphasizing the robust growth and resilience of the global travel and tourism sector.
Under the theme 'Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship', ATM 2024 hosted over 2,600 exhibiting companies. The event served as a crucial platform for exploring industry growth drivers and discovering future opportunities within the global tourism sector. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, expressed delight at the turnout and the insights shared, stating, "We are thrilled to have set a new show record, reinforcing our position as the premier travel and tourism exhibition, driving global growth within the industry."
The event was graced by the presence of 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. Significant transport and tourism-related projects were approved, aligning with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The opening session highlighted collaboration across Gulf nations to streamline the GCC’s tourism offering, with key insights from regional policymakers, including H.E. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, and other notable figures from the GCC.
In a session focusing on the Indian outbound market, Virendra Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of VIDEC, shared valuable data on market opportunities, distribution analysis, and traveler behavior, offering projections for the next decade.
The future of air travel and the role of innovation were discussed in the 'Looking Skyward for Innovation: How Technology is Disrupting Aviation' session. Experts from Cirium, IATA, AviationXLab, and Riyadh Air provided forward-looking insights into accommodating the burgeoning air traffic.
ATM 2024 also spotlighted innovation in the start-up sector, with InterLnkd winning the third ATM Start-up Pitch Battle. This victory highlighted the company’s innovative approach in linking the travel and hospitality sectors with the fashion, beauty, and retail industries using an intelligent matching engine.
Experience Abu Dhabi won the Best Stand Design Award for its innovative use of greenery and design that offered excellent visibility. Other stand winners included AlUla, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, ExploreTECH, flydubai, Qiddiya Investment Company, and Saudi Tourism Authority.
As ATM 2024 wraps up, plans for next year are already underway with Arabian Travel Market 2025 scheduled from April 28 to May 1, promising to build on this year's success and continue transforming the travel landscape.
