Tag Archives: ATM

Reed Travel Exhibitions has rescheduled the dates for the three spring global trade shows in its WTM Portfolio: WTM Latin America, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and Africa Travel Week, which comprises of WTM Africa and International Luxury Travel Market Africa.The original dates of the events have had to be changed in response to the escalation of COVID-19. Firstly, ATM has been rescheduled from April 19-22, 2020 at Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE, to the new date of May 16-19, 2021 at the same venue. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), said, “We are fully aware of the important role that ATM plays for industry professionals across the Middle East region and beyond. We are grateful for the full endorsement that we have received from our customers and partners, who assisted in helping us reach our decision and agreed the 2020 event should be rescheduled. In the meantime, while the physical show will be rescheduled to 2021, we will keep the industry connected by hosting an ATM Virtual Event from June 1-3, 2020 featuring a series of webinars, live conference sessions, speed networking events, one-on-one meetings and much more.” WTM Latin America 2020, which was due to take place from 31 March-2 April, will now be held from October 20-22, 2020 at the same venue, Expo Center Norte, in São Paulo. Luciane Leite, Director WTM Latin America, said, “We appreciate the hard work that goes into the planning and preparations that our partners and exhibitors prepare for the event and we have to unite in this challenging period. These are difficult times, but I am sure that together we will emerge stronger from this situation.” Meanwhile, Africa Travel …

Arabian Travel Market’s (ATM) 2020 edition has been postponed due to COVID-19 and the next edition will be held from May 16 to 19, 2021. “In light of the changing global situation relating to the global pandemic, we have continued to monitor the impact it is having not just on our industry, but on society in general. Many meetings took place with the Dubai World Trade Centre and we reviewed other options to organise an event in the last quarter. However, after consultation with our key stakeholders and after listening to our industry, ultimately it became apparent that the best course of action, and with everyone’s best interests in mind, is to postpone the event to 2021,” said the organisers of ATM. The organisers added, “Therefore, Arabian Travel Market will now be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in 2021, following the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr celebrations. Discussions took place at the highest level both internally and externally with local and federal government, partners, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees who all endorsed our evaluation of the current situation and our decision to act once again, without delay.” “We are fully aware of the important role that ATM plays for industry professionals right across the Middle East region and beyond, and we believe it is our responsibility to deliver a safe and successful event when we are able to do so. The live show will be rescheduled to 2021, but until then we’ll keep you connected. We are firmly focused on delivering positive business and networking opportunities to the Middle East’s vast travel and tourism community and as such are excited to announce that we will …

Reed Travel Exhibitions has announced the postponment of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) to June 28 – July 1, 2020, at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE. The statement issued by Reed Travel Exhibitions, organisers of ATM, said, “We at Arabian Travel Market want to express our concern for everyone impacted by coronavirus. Like all of you, we have carefully monitored the global health crisis related to COVID-19. Our top priority is the health and safety of everyone involved in Arabian Travel Market; employees, partners, customers and exhibitors.” The organisers added, “Due to the escalation of the COVID-19 epidemic around the world, after consultation with all our stakeholders, the venue management, supporting associations, and in alignment with the advice from the UAE public health authorities regarding travel to and from impacted countries, we have taken the decision to postpone our event which was due to take place on April 19– 22, 2020 in Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Whilst the UAE is following the strictest medical and hygiene protocols in line with international standards, we have made this decision in the best interest of the industry to enable us to organise an event which provides effective participation and experience for all. The announcement has been made at the earliest opportunity to give as much notice as possible to all stakeholders enabling them to make the necessary arrangements to reschedule their plans, and ensure even stronger attendance in June.”

The participation of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2018 concluded after four  days showcasing distinct business growth, increased tourist arrivals and significant new partnership deals. Leading a large delegation to ATM, DCT Abu Dhabi was joined by 77 stakeholders representing more than 90 products in order to build further momentum behind increased guest arrival numbers. Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector is enjoying steady growth as the emirate continues to position itself as an attractive destination for visitors and investors alike. In 2017, Abu Dhabi attracted a record number of guests, around 5 million (4,875,499), which was a growth of 9.8% on the previous year. Abu Dhabi is now targeting an annual increase of 11%. This year, DCT Abu Dhabi achieved record first quarter hotel traffic amounting to a 10.9% rise over the corresponding period of 2017. This growth was driven by a surge of visitors from the UK, Germany, India, China, United States and the GCC region. On the back of this impressive performance, the Department is moving closer to achieving its target of welcoming 8.5 million guests to Abu Dhabi by 2021. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi is an inspiring destination and we invite visitors to truly experience its authentic cultural heritage and world-class facilities. The consecutive increases for guest arrivals is clear testament to the Emirate’s growing international appeal. At ATM, we have successfully positioned the capital as a global destination of distinction built on unique experiences and a rich cultural heritage.”

The AA Al Moosa pavilion welcomed the visit of His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Ammar Al Nuaimi of Ajman who was received by Abdullah Ahmed Al Moosa, founder and owner of AA Al Moosa Enterprises, and expressed his fascination by the portfolio and history of the company, and the iconis three upcoming hotels in the Palm. The pavilion drew a large number of visitors and served as a key platform for networking and meetings between government officials, key chain hotels executives, major tour operators, partners and representatives of leading travel and tourism companies. The highlight of the group’s participation was the unveiling of three iconic hotel projects that will be opening on the Palm namely Hilton The Palm, TAJ Exotica Resort & Spa and Marriott The Palm. The hotels with a target opening of 2019 will bring an additional 1,500 rooms and suites to the current inventory of hotel rooms in Dubai and will increase the company’s portfolio to a total of 4730 rooms. In addition to Hilton The Palm, TAJ Exotica Resort & Spa and Marriott The Palm, other hotel properties that the Group currently owned were represented at the show such as Hilton Jumeirah Beach, Hilton Salalah, Hilton Creek, Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai, Ramada Plaza JBR, Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah and Crowne Plaza Muscat.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has launched Dubai Pass for visitors to enjoy the city’s range of attractions, experiences and tours. It is an all-inclusive pre-paid card, grants cash-free access to 33 key events and venues across Dubai, making it the perfect way for tourists to explore the city’s world-class destination proposition. It will be available to redeem from May 16, 2018. Starting at AED399, the pass offers ‘Select’ and ‘Unlimited’ packages, with a specially-curated list of popular attractions and experiences. These include Burj Khalifa, Dubai Parks and Resorts, IMG Worlds of Adventure, Wild Wadi Waterpark, Ski Dubai, Desert Safari Tours, and many more. With every purchase, visitors will also receive a 50% discount on tickets to La Perle – the city’s one-of-a-kind live entertainment show with acrobatics and aerial stunts – by simply presenting their Dubai Pass when buying a ticket to the show. The ‘Select’ package is priced at AED399. It allows card users to enjoy a range of attractions – one from each of the three-tiered attraction pools. The pass is valid over seven consecutive days, beginning with the first day of use. Meanwhile, the unlimited package is available for AED899. Users can choose unlimited events and activities, and the pass is valid for three days. The year-round Dubai Pass has been introduced following the success of previous seasonal DSS and DSF passes. It will provide a streamlined way for people to experience Dubai, save money and make the most of their trip with family and friends.

 In an effort to increase arrivals of tourists from the Asian and Middle East markets, Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Priscah Mupfumira has led a tourism delegation to Dubai to attend the Arabian Travel Market (ATM). During the show, the minister met with strategic decision makers including leading tour operators, airlines and other government officials. Tourist arrivals have increased from a mere 657 in 2003 to 3,148 in 2004 and only reached a peak in 2009 when 10,077 tourist arrivals were recorded. In 2017, the country recorded 7,537 arrivals, a 58% increase from 4,783 arrivals recorded in 2016.  Zimbabwe has generated a lot of interest as a tourist destination ever since the inauguration of the new President. One of the very first positive actions that were taken by the new government was to relook at all the legislation that had been constraining investment inflows into Zimbabwe. Now the new administration has put in place supportive measures that seek to rebuild confidence and increase Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in order to revive the national economy. Zimbabwe is now ready for the Middle East market, where access from Dubai is through Emirates, Kenya Airways, Rwanda Air, South African Airways and Ethiopian Airways. The destination offers a wide range of luxury accommodation options for the Middle East market ranging from city hotels, lodges and tented camps across the country. The country has a variety of activities that suits different market segments from thoughtful to soft adventure for all ages.

Emirates has unveiled its new Boeing 777-300ER First Class Private Suite at the ongoing Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. The airline is also showcasing its latest Boeing 777 Business Class seat, the A380 onboard lounge, along with other products such as the First Class Shower Spa and the latest version of its Economy Class seats. Visitors can experience the Emirates network through an interactive 60 second challenge played on a touchscreen route map. Last year, the airline launched new passenger routes to Newark via Athens, Zagreb and Phnom Penh, and later this year, Emirates will begin services to London Stanstead and Santiago de Chile. This year marks Emirates’ 25th year of partnership and commitment to ATM. When the exhibition first opened its doors in 1993, Emirates flew 15 aircraft to 32 destinations and carried 2 million passengers. The Emirates stand at ATM will offer visitors a chance to experience the airline’s recently-launched products and service enhancements. The game changing, fully enclosed first-class private suites on exhibit have floor to ceiling sliding doors, soft leather seating, high-tech control panels and mood lighting. Incorporating cutting-edge technology, the suites also feature several world-firsts, including ‘virtual windows’ using real-time fibre-optic camera technology, a NASA inspired ‘zero-gravity’ seating position and a personal video-call service.

Chinese arrivals to the GCC is set to increase 21 per cent by 2021, rising to 2.5 million visitors annually, according to data released ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2018, to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 22-25. The data predicts Saudi Arabia will experience the highest proportionate increase in arrivals from China, up 35 per cent on 2016 figures. The UAE will follow at 20 per cent, with Oman at 12 per cent and Bahrain and Kuwait at 7 per cent. GCC countries currently attract 1.9 per cent of China’s total outbound market, up from 1.3 per cent in 2012, however positive trends are expected to continue as 154 million Chinese tourists prepare to go abroad in 2018. Figures from ATM 2017 show the number of delegates, exhibitors and attendees interested in doing business with China had increased 63 per cent on the previous year. Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said, “The outbound Chinese market represents a vast, untapped pool of affluent and adventurous travellers and the GCC has been a destination of choice for years. Owing to its many business opportunities and a new generation of leisure attractions, figures show the GCC is poised to further capitalise on these trends over the coming years as millions of Chinese make their first international trip.”

Travellers from Arab countries account for more than one third of the total tourist traffic to Egypt in 2016, and forecasts for 2017 are positive and are in continuous growth. H.E. Yehia Rashed, Minister of Tourism in Egypt, said: “Arab tourism to Egypt in 2016 represented 36.3 percent of the total tourist traffic to Egypt, which is more than one third of the total traffic. Saudi Arabia ranked first amongst incoming Arab tourists, with a total of 507 thousand tourists visiting Egypt, followed by Jordan, with 180 thousand tourists, and Kuwait with about 150 thousand tourists and Lebanon with nearly 86 thousand. The total number of travelers from Arab countries to Egypt reached 2 million tourists in 2016, compared to 1.7 million Arab tourists in 2015, which marks an increase of 13.2 percent, whereas in the first quarter of 2017, the number of Arab tourists increased by 38.8 percent when compared to the same period last year.” The Ministry of Tourism of Egypt and Egyptian Tourism Authority announced their participation at the Arabian Travel Market, taking place in Dubai from April 24-27. The participation is in line with both of their efforts to highlight Egypt’s enormous tourism potential and focuses on the various destinations that attracts tourists from all over the world, especially Arabs. “Our participation at the Arabian Travel Markets primarily aims at engaging and communicating effectively with our partners and stakeholders in the region and to enhance the efforts to attract Arab tourists to Egypt. The Arab market represents one of the most significant markets exporting tourism to Egypt. This is due to several reasons, most importantly because of the proximity to many Arab countries and similarity of …