VP hails UAE’s position as travel and tourism hub

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday visited the 33rd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre until September 17.

Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied during the visit by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and a number of senior officials.

During a tour of the exhibition, Sheikh Mohammed reviewed the latest solutions, innovations and trends shaping the future of global travel and tourism.

Sheikh Mohammed said, “The UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for travel and tourism, while Dubai continues to reinforce its standing as a leading destination shaping the future of the sector, guided by a clear vision centred on innovation, openness, strong partnerships and exceptional visitor experiences.” His Highness added, “Arabian Travel Market reflects the leading position that the UAE and Dubai have established as a global platform bringing together industry leaders, decision-makers, investors and innovators to explore new growth opportunities and enhance the competitiveness of the travel and tourism sector.” During the tour, His Highness visited a number of national and international pavilions and exhibitor stands, including those of Kuwait Airways, Bahrain, Qatar Airways, Qatar, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, Etihad Airways and Spain.

Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, on key highlights of this year’s edition and ATM’s role as a global platform for strengthening partnerships, exchanging expertise and exploring new opportunities for growth across the sector.

Sheikh Mohammed welcomed participants in this year’s edition of Arabian Travel Market, highlighting the event’s role in reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global platform for the travel and tourism industry. He said the event creates new opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange and partnerships that support the sector’s continued growth and development.

Sheikh Mohammed also praised the strong international participation, which reflects growing confidence in Dubai’s position and its ability to drive innovation and development across the global travel and tourism industry.

His Highness also visited the stands of leading international hospitality groups, including Minor Hotels, STORY Hospitality, Marriott Bonvoy and IHG Hotels & Resorts.

Sheikh Mohammed reviewed initiatives, services and innovative solutions showcased by exhibitors, as well as developments transforming the travel industry, particularly advances in technology and artificial intelligence, digital transformation, sustainable tourism experiences and smart mobility.

The German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC) announced that the number of overnight stays by GCC visitors to Germany has grown steadily since 2022 to 1.2 million in 2025, an increase of 9%, while GCC travellers spent a total of €3 billion, over 30% more than the average expenditure of all overseas visitors to Germany in 2025.

Yamina Sofo, Director of the Marketing & Sales Office – GNTO GCC, an affiliate of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), commented, “We have now witnessed steady growth in visitor numbers from the GCC countries as well as a considerable increase in travel expenditure from 2022 to 2025.

“However, after a promising start in January 2026, when overnight stays increased by 4.7% to 68,455, the remainder of the first half of the year saw some moderation in overnight stays from the GCC. This reflects the exceptional disruption to air traffic across the Gulf during the period, which understandably affected passenger flows and direct travel to Germany. Even so, the figures continue to underline Germany’s enduring appeal among GCC travellers and the resilience of demand from the region.

“This year at ATM, we are here to showcase Germany’s year-round appeal, support our local partners and highlight the breadth of experiences available to GCC travellers. The GCC remains Germany’s third strongest overseas market, and we are confident that there will be a swift recovery when flight schedules return to normal, particularly with so much pent-up demand.” Key co-participants on the Germany stand this year include Visit Berlin, Lufthansa Group, Value Retail Management GmbH - Ingolstadt Village & Wertheim Village, Munich Airport and Studiosus Incoming.

Inayat-ur-Rahman / WAM