Tag Archives: Arabian Travel Market

Saudi Arabia’s government revised its combined domestic and international 2030 visitor target upwards from the previous 100 million to 150 million. Amid sustained investment in its tourism, hospitality and leisure segments, as well as a slew of ambitious gigaprojects, the Kingdom aims to increase the economic contribution of its tourism sector to 10% of national GDP by the end of this decade. Representing almost a 50% increase in KSA exhibitor participation, ATM 2024 will host a selection of high-profile exhibitors from Saudi Arabia, including SAUDIA, flynas, NEOM, Dur Hospitality, AMSA Hospitality and the Royal Commission for AlUla. First-time exhibitors will comprise almost 17% of the total Saudi participation, which includes Cruise Saudi, Tabuk Investment and Tourism Co., Al Badiah Transportation, Sixth Gulf and Fairmont Mekka Clock Tower, among others. KSA will represent a key focus for attendees as policymakers, industry leaders and travel professionals from around the world share insights, forge new relationships and showcase cutting-edge innovations with the potential to drive further growth within this burgeoning tourism market. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market, said: “We plan to shine a spotlight on this exciting market at ATM 2024 with adedicated Saudi Village, which will be highlighted on the exhibition floor and will consist of a full showcase of Saudi products. With significant interest in this market, there will be a range of panel discussions that will enable attendees to identify and capitalise on new opportunities in the Kingdom.” Saudi Arabia is on course to welcome an estimated 30 million overnight tourists this year, according to research conducted by Oxford Economics on behalf of ICAEW. Delegates from around the world are preparing to capitalise on this momentum and explore …

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, remarked, “Sustainability in travel and tourism is vitally important for the future of our industry, with growing concerns about the industry’s impact on the environment. This is the issue of the hour. Hotels and destinations will have to balance short term financial recovery coming out of the pandemic, with a mid to longer term eco-friendly business strategy.” During a virtual conversation with top industry sustainability professionals, moderator Harold Goodwin, who is Responsible Tourism Advisor to the World Travel Market, presented a session entitled Responsible Hospitality in a Perfect Storm. During his opening comments, Goodwin sought opinion from the panel about the environmental challenges facing hotels over the next decade, especially when the pandemic, has hit hotels hard financially, with many still focused on survival. In response, Eric Ricaurte, Founder and Chief Executive of hospitality consultancy Greenview, said, “By 2030 at the latest, hotels will be expected by their stakeholders to be net zero (emissions), 100% renewable energy. So, the problem at the moment is really coping with the pace of change to get there.” According to Singapore-based Ricaurte, the key to keeping pace with say retrofits or renovations, will, in part be dictated not only by consumer demand but by potential new green regulations, “Hotels will need to plan ahead for new regulations, allocating enough reserves through their CAPEX budgets.” On the issue of measuring their sustainability performance and being transparent about the results, Inge Huijbrechts, Global Senior Vice President Sustainability, Security and Corporate Communications at Radisson Hotel Group commented, “All major hospitality companies have been tracking their (sustainable) performance and we’ve all been setting reduction targets. “But you need to recognise …

Local, regional and international travel and tourism professionals will converge on the Dubai World Trade Centre for the opening of the Arabian Travel Market 2021 (ATM) the first major in-person international travel event since the outbreak of the pandemic. One of the highlights of the first day will be the Tourism for a Brighter Future opening session taking place at 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm GST. Moderated by Becky Anderson, Managing Editor, CNN Abu Dhabi & Anchor, speakers include HE Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM); Dr Taleb Rifai, Chairman ITIC & Former Secretary General United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Scott Livermore, Chief Economist of Oxford Economics Middle East, Dubai and Mr. Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director, Maldives Tourism Board. Later in the afternoon, the Tourism Beyond COVID Recovery session will take place, at 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm GST, and will include key speakers such as Dr. Ahmad bin Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises for the UAE; H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Chairman of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority and Haitham Mattar, Managing Director of India, Middle East & Africa, IHG Hotels and Resorts. Another key event taking place on the first day is the China Tourism Forum to be held from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm GST and will highlight the latest trends of outbound travel from China as well as the best way of meeting such demand. It will feature respected panelists representing both DMOs and Chinese outbound travel trade including H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Minister of …

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has launched a new series of buyer forums and networking events focused on India, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia’s growing outbound potential, as Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) travel and tourism companies and destinations look to attract a larger share from these major source markets. Following the successful launch of the ‘Arabia China Tourism Forum’ at ATM 2019, these new forums and networking events have been designed to explore the untapped opportunities that India, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia’s expanding tourism markets present. As part of the networking sessions, ATM will be inviting 150 hosted buyers from India, China, Russia, and the Middle East as well as partnering with CBN Travel & MICE once again to bring an additional 84 new buyers from China. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, ATM, said, “Identifying the key players in the top source markets, along with current and emerging industry trends are two of the most valuable insights ATM has to offer. Therefore, the 2020 edition will continue to follow that successful model with a packed agenda, including new forums, networking opportunities, and an engaging seminar program. Over recent years, in particular, the sentiment at ATM has reflected the growth in these tourists to the Middle East and as we look ahead to the 2020 edition of the show we are seeing more hotel and travel professionals than ever before eager to capitalise on the significant opportunities presented by these key markets.” The data predicts an above-average annual growth rate for both Russian and Chinese arrivals to the UAE, with the number of Russian tourists expected to increase at a Compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12% to 1.6 million and …

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa unveiled its new hotel development pipeline with 14 hotels due to open in 2019 at the Arabian Travel Market 2019. By the end of 2019, Millennium Hotels and Resorts will be operating over 50 hotels in the Middle East and Africa, growing from 26 properties in 2016, which makes it the fastest growing hotel operator in the region. The additional 14 new hotels along with the existing portfolio of 40 hotels in the Middle East and Africa region will help grow tourism demand in the GCC including UAE, who will be hosting the World Expo 2020 and is expected to receive 25 million visitors in six months. “Our fast-developing hotel portfolio is geared to support the vision of the UAE government. This year, we will add 14 hotels, in addition to the 35 new hotels that are in the pipeline. In order to bring variety to the market and to offer customised hospitality offerings, we have introduced two contemporary products (Millennium Place and Studio M) to suit the varied budgets of our valued customers. The new brands will be showcased at the stand along with other existing properties in the Middle East & Africa region,” said Kevork Deldelian, Chief Operating Officer of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa. Millennium Place will be known as the happier hotel brand in the Middle East introducing “Find Your Happy Place” as a tagline and will consistently strive to deliver a smile to its guests through different touch points in the guest’s and associates’ journey. It aims to create a unique and more personalised guest experience through focusing on various elements that make a …

The trade and promotion arm of Yas Island Abu Dhabi ‘Experience Hub’ announced a strategic agreement with Hotelbeds, the world’s leading business-to-business bedbank, which will result in a new and wider distribution of leisure and entertainment experiences to the international travel trade. The agreement was officiated during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, with representatives at the Yas Island stand were Experience Hub’s General Manager Marina Cipriano, and Vice President, Sales, Bruno Wiley. Hotelbeds was represented by Michael Lynden-Bell, Beyond The Bed Sales & Sourcing Director – MEAPAC at Hotelbeds,  and Mahesh Ammanath, Regional Sourcing Manager at Hotelbeds. Speaking about the signed agreement, Marina Cipriano, General Manager, Experience Hub, said, “Yas Island is now firmly established as a unique tourism destination which offers visitors to the UAE a diverse mix of leisure and entertainment, including three award-winning theme parks. Partnering with Hotelbeds will allow us to showcase Yas Island’s offerings to an even wider audience abroad and support our efforts to connect international markets to our one-of-a-kind destination.” Michael Lynden-Bell said, “We are very excited and pleased to confirm that a strategic agreement has been forged with Yas Island, one of the world’s fastest growing leisure and entertainment destinations. This news reflects our commitment to Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a whole, and demonstrates the confidence that partners, such as Experience Hub, place in our business-to-business bed and ancillary bank to access incremental and high-value clients”. Experience Hub will broaden its product distribution network and reach, driving increased awareness of Yas Island as a leisure and entertainment destination, while Hotelbeds – along with its Beyond The Bed division – will expand its offering beyond accommodation to include packaged …

This year’s Arabian Travel Market witnessed over 40 airlines and 300 delegates attend the inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa exhibition. The two-day meet, co-located with Arabian Travel Market 2019, united airline and airport executives with manufacturers and suppliers, and provided a global forum for business and networking opportunities. Alongside the conference programme, delegates had the opportunity to book one-to-one appointments in airline and airport meeting lounges and enjoy evening networking events. Karin Butot, CEO, The Airport Agency, said, “CONNECT is a new addition to the route development calendar and co-located with ATM is a natural choice given the unprecedented growth in aviation across the region. We look forward to welcoming delegates to what promises to be a series of lively debates and discussions.” The Middle East’s airline seat count has doubled in the last 10 years, and last year saw 264.31 million scheduled departing seats, according to anna.aero data. Growth has been fuelled by the major expansion of scheduled carriers and more recently, low-cost airlines, which now accounts for 16 per cent of all departing seats. Dubai International Airport, the world’s largest airport for international passenger numbers, recording 89.1 million passengers last year, accounted for 22 per cent of all departing seats in the Middle East. Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions, said, “Two-thirds of the world’s population are within an eight-hour flight of the GCC and the region’s airlines are continuously adding new routes, to connect to fresh destinations.” Kicking off the two-day event was a training workshop entitled ‘The Simpson Paradox in Donut Crunching’ – showing how best to achieve better data accuracy when estimating a route’s potential. John Strickland, Director, JLS Consulting, gave a keynote …

Home-grown brand Rotana underlining its continuing expansion is showcasing its growing portfolio of world-class hospitality offerings at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019. Now in its 26th edition, the key industry event offers an outstanding platform for Rotana to share the latest updates on its performance and upcoming openings in the region and beyond. Rotana currently operates 65 hotels in 23 cities across 12 countries, including an impressive 9,694 keys at 35 hotels in the UAE alone. With a pipeline of ten hotels scheduled to open before the end of 2020, the stage is set for the company’s sustained expansion. Among the most highly anticipated of Rotana’s upcoming openings in 2019 is the Johari Rotana in Tanzania, a spectacular five-star hotel in Dar es Salaam that marks the company’s entrance to the East African market. Rotana is set to make another country debut in Q3 2019 with the opening of the Bosmal Arjaan by Rotana in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Also launching during Q3 2019 is the Dana Rayhaan by Rotana in Dammam. The new hotel will add 285 keys to Rotana’s inventory in Saudi Arabia, which currently consists of six hotels. Rotana’s expansion will continue in 2020 with the launch of Centro Corniche, Al Khobar (253 keys), Slemani Rotana, Sulaymaniyah (240 keys), the company’s third hotel in Jordan, Centro Amman (200 keys), Al Jaddaf Rotana (338 keys), Cayan Cantara Arjaan by Rotana (329 keys) and Cayan Cantara Residences by Rotana (489 keys) in Dubai, and Imam Reza Rotana, Mashhad (272 keys). Reflecting on the importance of the event, Guy Hutchinson, Acting CEO of Rotana, commented, “We are delighted to participate in ATM 2019, which offers unrivalled opportunities to connect with key …

The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah, the new waterfront dining and leisure destination from master developer Nakheel, is on display at the 2019 Arabian Travel Market (ATM). The seafront attraction, already a magnet for UAE residents and tourists, will be under the travel industry spotlight at ATM, where Nakheel is looking to create new partnerships with travel agents, tour operators and hotels to promote the destination on a global scale. Located five kilometres out to sea, at the tip of the world-famous Palm Jumeirah, The Pointe has 70 waterside restaurants, shops and attractions, with a spectacular, choreographed fountain coming soon. The Pointe will form part of the Dubai stand at ATM, which, as the leading global event for the Middle East’s travel industry, attracts more than 39,000 travel professionals, government ministers and international media each year. Operated by Nakheel Malls, the retail arm of Nakheel, The Pointe has a car park for 1,600 vehicles, with its own Palm Monorail station on the way.

Revolutionising the aviation sector once again, Etihad Airways unveiled a major Economy transformation programme starting with the cabin upgrade and refurbishment of 23 narrow-body Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. The retrofit programme, which includes new personalised wireless streaming entertainment to smartphone and tablet devices, is scheduled for completion in August this year. The airline is also introducing a new and improved Economy dining concept on all its flights as part of a wider programme of enhancements to its inflight catering. Etihad introduced the new developments at Arabian Travel Market, together with a new advertising campaign, ‘Go Your Own Way’, using Fleetwood Mac’s anthemic classic as its soundtrack. As part of the airline’s overall ‘Choose Well’ brand platform, the campaign will drive greater awareness of Etihad’s commitment to providing its guests with greater control, choice and value by personalising their travel experiences. Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said, “Etihad has always been a challenger brand, shaping the future of travel as the market constantly changes. We are bringing the leadership and innovation to Economy travel which we have long established in our award-winning Business, First and The Residence cabins. As part of our ‘Choose Well’ promise, we are empowering our guests with more control of their travel experiences, through onboard digital transformation, improved choice and redesigned cabins and products.” Etihad is progressively upgrading the Economy cabins of its narrow-body fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. These are used mainly on short-haul regional services, and further afield to 38 Etihad gateways within five hours of flight from Abu Dhabi. The airline is installing modern and refreshed cabins featuring ergonomic Extra-spatial Design seats by UK based Acro, a …