Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has announced that the final preparation of their 2021 edition annual showcase are underway, with the event set to take place in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on 16th May and conclude on 19th May, 2021, as final preparations are being put in place.

In addition to Reed Exhibitions’ Global COVID-19 ‘Safety Shows’ Health & Safety strategy, ATM is working closely with the DWTC team and with Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to provide a safe, touchless and seamless experience for all.

In line with Dubai Government’s health and safety guidelines, the DWTC team is working hard to ensure safety through a range of measures including an enhanced cleaning regime, improved air circulation and sanitiser stations.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME at ATM, said, “Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world to visit with a wide range of precautionary measures in place to ensure the safety of tourists at every stage and touchpoint of their travel journey, from arrival to departure. More than 9 million doses have already been administered in the UAE, which is also a major achievement.”

“Indeed, Dubai’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety and its effective citywide management of the pandemic received a strong endorsement from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which gave the city a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp,” she added.

Themed ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’, this year’s show will focus on the latest COVID-19 news from around the world - vaccine rollouts, social and travel restrictions, as well as the current state and future of the industry. It will also look at the emerging trends and how innovation can drive the industry forward.

The health of the travel and tourism industry is key to the region. Prior to the pandemic, the World Travel and Tourism Council predicted the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the Middle East’s GDP to reach $133.6 billion by 2028.

In-person on the show floor, main stand holders and sharers will represent the 62 participating countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Germany, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Italy, Greece, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Maldives, Thailand, Mexico, the Philippines, USA and others.

Features this year will include Travel Forward at ATM, featuring keynote speakers and world-class technology experts, who will offer industry-leading insights about the latest technologies and trends that will undoubtedly shape the industry’s future.

The ATM 2021 conference programme includes the Global Stage, which will comprise the Hotel Industry Summit and Buyer Forums dedicated to key source markets, such as Saudi Arabia, India and China.

There is an International Tourism and Investment Conference, plus other focused events on Gulf-Israeli ties, an Aviation Panel and a special seminar aimed at encouraging women to take up careers in tourism and travel. Other co-located events will include the Digital Influencer Speed Networking event and Buyers’ Club.

ATM 2021 will play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, as it is set to feature exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and networking events.

Also, for the first time, the agenda will include a virtual ATM running a week later. ATM Virtual, which made its debut earlier this year, after ATM 2020 was postponed, proved to be a resounding success, attracting 12,000 online attendees from 140 countries.

“It is imperative that we include a virtual element to Arabian Travel Week, because many industry professionals from around the world cannot attend the in-person event every year, particularly this year with travel restrictions still in place,” said Curtis in conclusion.

The UAE tourism sector performed outstandingly in 2020 despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed by the Ministry of Economy recently, noting that the sector was among the least affected and fastest to recover around the world.

The UAE recorded a 54.7 per cent hotel occupancy rate in 2020 - the second highest in the world behind only China - while the global rate dropped to 37 per cent under the weight of the pandemic, and hotels in the Middle East region recorded just 43 per cent occupancy. This is in parallel to the significant decline in tourist activity, which fell by 74 per cent around the world and 76 per cent in the region.

Hospitality establishments welcomed 14.8 million guests in 2020, who spent 54.2 million nights in 1,089 different establishments that provided approximately 180,000 rooms, according to official statistics issued by the World Tourism Organisation and the Emirates Tourism Council - established by the Council of Ministers in January 2021 and chaired by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

WAM