The Arabian Travel Market 2026 (ATM 2026) will be held from September 14 to 17, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where senior officials from the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, and the United Nations will discuss the resilience and long-term future of the tourism industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries on the first day of the event.
Exploring Tourism Challenges and Opportunities
Hamda Allah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister of Economy and Tourism, highlighted the importance of tourism foundations in his speech at the global ATM 2026 stage, stating: "For 50 years, tourism infrastructure has been built in the UAE, and these foundations have helped us succeed in facing recent challenges." He also emphasized the need for preparedness in facing crises, adding: "Countries that perform best in crises are those that prepare before a crisis occurs."
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The Role of Tourism in the GCC Economy
Statistics show that tourism's share of the GDP in Gulf countries is over 11%, indicating the strong position of these countries in the global tourism industry. Abdullah Al-Sirafi, one of the officials, remarked on this topic: "This figure alone reflects the current and future potential of tourism in our countries."
The Arabian Travel Market 2026, themed "Travel 2040: Advancing New Frontiers through Innovation and Technology," will explore the impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, digital transformations, and evolving traveler expectations on the future of tourism. This event provides a space for exchanging ideas and creating new collaborations in the travel industry.
The first day of this event includes seven different sessions addressing topics such as live experiences and technology-based luxury experiences for global travelers. This market is recognized as the main platform for innovation and growth in every sector of the travel and tourism industry and is held annually in Dubai.
Given the 16% growth of this event in recent years, ATM 2026 expects over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries to attend this exhibition. This event is not just an exhibition but a dynamic hub for industry communities that provides networking and information exchange opportunities.
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