Tag Archives: ATM

For the first time in almost 18 months Arabian Travel Market was successfully concluded onsite with exhibitors from 62 countries and travel professionals from over 100 countries. “Putting sustainability at the heart of the future development of the tourism industry in the Middle East will be crucial to meet the expectations of local and international visitors, who are now more socially aware and informed, than ever before. The industry has undoubtedly made huge strides in this area, with a range of initiatives across the sector positively impacting the environment,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market. Another popular seminar was a hotel summit session about the challenges to traditional hospitality, brought on by social distancing and the increased reliance on technology – impersonal by nature. A panel consisting of hospitality leaders, agreed that nothing would replace genuine hospitality, rather guests would decide what level of human interaction they were comfortable with – balancing safety with personal attention while maximising the efficiency of technology without compromising on service excellence. “This week has been a resounding success, we’ve welcomed exhibitors from 62 countries and travel professionals from over 100 countries during the four days of the event,” said Curtis. “Next week, ATM Virtual gives us the opportunity to interact with an even greater global audience. With travel restrictions still in place for many people, for those unable to attend the live and in-person event, the virtual element provides the perfect platform for travel professionals to connect, do business and hear from leading lights within the industry, from anywhere in the world,” added Curtis.

Middle East Tourism Investment Summit will be two-fold organised by ITIC in partner-ship with ATM. The in-person summit will be held in Dubai on Wednesday 19 May and will be followed by a virtual summit on 27 May. The theme will be ‘Invest-Rebuild-Restart the tourism industry in the Middle East’. The Middle East is standing out as the region offering the most exciting tourism prospects following the Covid-19 vaccination campaigns that have been successfully rolled out. Taleb Rifai, Chairman of ITIC and former Secretary-General of UNWTO stated, “We are delighted to host in partnership with ATM our face-to-face Tourism Investment Summit after 18 months and to regroup industry leaders to discuss the investment opportu-nities, challenges, issues and the way forward for the future. “ For his part, Ibrahim Ayoub, ITIC’s Group CEO, expressed his confidence that the vaccination campaigns will contribute to the rapid restart of international flights. “Dubai has already set the example of the successful reopening of its airspace and country to foreign visitors. We expect that other countries especially in the Middle East which have properly managed the Covid-19 pandemic, to follow”, he added. “Their resilience needs to be commended.” Industry decision-makers such as Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports; Nicolas Mayer, Global Tourism Leader of PWC; Scott Livermore, Chief Economist of Oxford Economics, Middle East; H.E. Nayef Al-Fayez, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan; HE Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Executive Chairman Sharjah Investment and Development Authority; Raki Phillips, CEO Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority; H.E. Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General, Ajman Tourism Development Department; Bastien Blanc, Managing Director, IHG Hotels & Resorts KSA; Marc Descrozaille, COO, Accor Hotels, India, Middle East & Africa; …

German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is participating at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) this week, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the first international travel trade event to take place in-person since the outbreak. The GNTB wanted to raise awareness of what Germany and in particular Berlin, has to offer city, nature and culture enthusiasts living in the GCC countries, by showcasing the exciting facets and flair of Germany such as customs, crafts, local food and drink, culture and architecture, and the varied countryside and nature on the doorstep of many German cities. Speaking at the press conference at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, said Yamina Sofo, Director Sales & Marketing, German National Tourist Office Gulf Countries (GNTO) said, “With the success of the national vaccination programmes in the GCC countries, particularly in the UAE where more than 11.5 million doses have been administered so far (over 70% of the UAE population have received vaccines and 40% are fully vaccinated), we remain optimistic that the pre-crisis level of incoming travel from the UAE to Germany can be regained by end of 2022. “It gives us immense pleasure to be here, at ATM, to showcase our unique German culture to not only GCC travellers but outbound tourists across the Middle East. We hope to encourage demand for city and nature holidays coupled with sustainable tourism, which draws attention to the many different ways of discovering Destination Germany with its wide range of traditions and attractions,” Sofo added. Commenting on Berlin’s readiness for the return of inbound tourism, Burkhard Kieker, CEO, visitBerlin, said, “Like no other city, Berlin is poised for yet another new start in 2021 – …

As part of its goal to attract investments to the emirate of Ajman, Ajman Free Zone (AFZ) has announced that it will join the 2021 edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 16 to 19. AFZ will join the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) pavilion as part of their strategic partnership and showcase its attractive features as a business and tourism destination in the emirate, featuring key developments such as Al Zorah and China Mall. AFZ will also highlight the pivotal role of the tourism industry in boosting various economic sectors, as part of Ajman’s and UAE’s visions and discuss several initiatives in line with its 2021-2025 strategy. In addition, AFZ will offer special packages to companies who decide to operate within the free zone during the ATM. Various companies operating within AFZ are directly engaged in the tourism industry, while many more are indirectly contributing to the sector, such as those belonging to the art and culture scene. Aside from these, AFZ also has a diverse portfolio of several business infrastructure for tourism support companies that include commercial offices, industrial warehouses, lands, a retail mall, and onsite accommodations. H.E. Eng. Ali AlSuwaidi, Director General of Ajman Free Zone, said, “We have joined hands with Ajman Tourism to support their goal of increasing tourism activities in the emirate, both for business and leisure. Through our capabilities, tools and resources, we are keen to provide the best options for companies to operate in the emirate.” AlSuwaidi also said that AFZ is proud to showcase its business partners at the pavilion such as Wyndham Garden, Ajman Saray, Fairmont Ajman, Bahi …

Ahead of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) taking place in Dubai next month, Hotelbeds, the world’s leading bedbank, has revealed that the prestigious city has consistently been within its top three destinations by room nights sold throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Hotelbeds, despite the crisis, has recovered to pre-COVID volumes, year to date, for the wider UAE as destination. Both early bird bookings and last-minute reservations characterize the majority of the room nights sold. Ali Taheri, Regional Sourcing Director commented, “While the whole of the travel industry has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, it is fantastic news that we can name Dubai as one of our leading destinations during this time, highlighting its enduring magnetism for travellers. “As a region, and as a team, we have been able to maintain high levels of resilience during these unprecedented times and this is due to a number of factors. Firstly, having exposure to a diversified domestic and international client base protected us against the risk of lost volumes in closed corridors and secondly, we benefitted from uninterrupted cash flow while many players were facing systemic cash restrictions. And last but not least, the destructive nature of the pandemic brought out the streetfighter spirit in the team!”  

Prominent tourism figures will be participating in-person at the opening session of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Global Stage 2021 – ‘Tourism for a brighter future’ which is being held on Sunday 16 May 2021, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The line-up includes foremost speakers, such as His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dr. Taleb Rifai, former Secretary-General of the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization, Scott Livermore, Chief Economist at Oxford Economics Middle East and Thoyyib Mohamed, Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation. The four-day conference will address a broad range of topics, from travel and health, as well as dedicated forums on China, Saudi Arabia and India, plus a dedicated hotel summit, looking at the changing roles of hotels and the changing hospitality landscape. The Saudi Arabia Tourism Summit will discuss the Vision 2030 strategy’s positive repercussions, the ambitious megaprojects and how the country is setting new global industry benchmarks. It will feature high-level experts including Captain Ibrahim Koshy, CEO, Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), Dr. Afnan Alshuaiby, Founder & CEO of FNN International and Chairperson of Arab international Women’s Forum, Jerry Inzerillo, CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority and John Pagano, CEO, Red Sea Development Company. Commenting, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The general theme of this year’s show is ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ and the opening session will get the show, off to a positive, practical and optimistic start. “Undoubtedly, discussion on the show floor will be focused on the very latest ‘COVID’ news from around the world – vaccine rollouts, social and travel restrictions and …

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has reconfirmed that the 2021 edition of its annual showcase, will go-ahead in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Sunday 16 to Wednesday 19 May, as final preparations are being put in place, in particular health and safety. In addition to Reed Exhibitions’ Global COVID-19 ‘Safety Shows’ Health & Safety strategy, ATM is working closely with the team at the Dubai World Trade Centre and with Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to provide a safe, touchless and seamless experience for all. The show will strictly adhere to the health and safety guidelines set by the Dubai Government and followed by venue. The team at DWTC are working hard to ensure that all events run safely and have implemented a range of measures including an enhanced cleaning regime, improved air circulation and multiple hand sanitiser stations. Commenting, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, 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. “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 …

Island resorts around the world will lead the recovery in leisure travel, according to research carried out ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021, which will be in a hybrid format, with the in-person event taking place on 16-19 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre and the virtual event to be held the following week, on 24-26 May. “Both islands tick all of the proverbial boxes for tourists,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market. “Even though demand maybe pent-up, visitors will still want direct flights, easy access, reasonable restrictions, low COVID cases, good vaccination rates, open and in some cases isolated resorts, with a natural environment including quiet beaches,” added Curtis. “And after a standard temperature checks upon arrival at the hotel, guests in the Maldives can roam freely, they only need to wear a mask indoors, with similar restrictions applicable in Seychelles,” added Curtis. “With three weekly flights from Dubai, Cyprus is another interesting case and from April, it will welcome Israeli tourists who have had both vaccination doses,” said Curtis.

According to a recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Reed Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021, the amount of money that Middle East travellers spend on international leisure travel, will begin to exceed 2019 pre-COVID levels, in as little as three years. This is supported by forecast analysis carried out by Tourism Economics (TE). “This is very encouraging,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, which will take place in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) 16-19 May 2021. “In 2019, spending on international leisure travel in the Middle East was significant, representing 47% of the total overall travel spend, compared with 37% spent on domestic leisure travel and 8% each on international and domestic business travel. “In 2020, spending on international leisure travel was only 20% of the amount spent a year earlier. However, this year, spending compared with 2019, will recover to around 50%. It will increase to 75% in 2022 and 95% in 2023, until 2024, when spending in this segment will exceed pre-COVID levels by up to 10%,” added Curtis. “Leisure travel will lead the recovery, initially through domestic and short-haul travel, which peaked by as much as 85% of all overnight arrivals in the Middle East during 2020. This will gradually return to normal over the next four years at around 70%, as international travel becomes more popular and takes greater market share,” said Curtis.

Recent hospitality industry reports and analysis published by STR and Colliers International, have revealed that hotels in the UAE have put up a sterling performance, given the challenges of operating during the pandemic last year. To support the hotel industry still further during the vaccine rollout, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which will take place in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) 16-19 May 2021, is organising a Hotel Summit on Tuesday 18th May. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “According to STR data, the Middle East region was a top performer globally during 2020, with an average occupancy of 45.9%. One of the best-performing countries was the UAE with an average occupancy of 51.7% and an average daily rate (ADR) of $114. Although these figures were 29.3% & 16.5% down Y-on-Y, given the challenges presented by the pandemic, it is a remarkable achievement and proves just how resilient the hotel sector is in the UAE and wider Middle East. “Furthermore, if we drill down on these figures, ADR in Fujairah and RAK actually rose last year by 7% and 1% respectively, compared with 2019 and over the New Year’s celebrations hotels in Dubai were running average occupancies of 76% with an ADR of $300. I am certain that many hoteliers in the Middle East are now preparing for a V-shaped recovery, especially with the successful rollout of the vaccine and the ensuing herd immunity,” added Curtis. “Moreover, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also indicated that British nationals may be allowed to travel without any restrictions as soon as June 21st, which, given their close ties, would be a major boost for business and leisure travel …