Tourism Breaking News
Global leisure travel spending is projected to reach $15 trillion in 2040, up from $5 trillion in 2024. With an anticipated 7% annual uptick in leisure spending, the Middle East is expected to outperform all markets except Asia Pacific during the next five years. Destinations, airlines, hotels and industry stakeholders from around the world will gather to explore these unprecedented opportunities at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, which will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 4-7 May. Under the theme ‘Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology’, the event will explore the factors and trends redefining the global travel landscape. Leisure travel will form a key part of the programme at ATM, where the event will spotlight the changing behaviours of leisure travellers globally, and the Middle East’s ever-growing status as a destination of choice for international tourists. The ATM Travel Trends Report, developed in collaboration with Tourism Economics, forecasts that international tourism nights in the Middle East will reach 1.5 billion by 2030, representing a 90% surge from 2024. Approximately 15% of these nights are expected to be among leisure travellers from outside of the region. According to the report, European source markets currently account for 50% of leisure travel into the Middle East, although faster growth is expected for African and Asia Pacific markets in the next five years. For exhibitors and buyers at ATM 2026, these projections underscore the strong growth potential of the leisure segment. With more than 2,600 exhibitors from 161 countries and over 47,000 attendees expected, the event will provide a comprehensive platform for the travel industry to leverage this rising demand. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, …
Read More »ATM 2026 to examine $15tn leisure travel opportunity, as the Middle East emerges as one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets
