Tag Archives: Opening session

Industry experts will gather in the UAE to discuss sustainable decision-making and financing during the International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC) Middle East Tourism Investment Session at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 May. Saudi Arabia is leading the GCC’s tourism development activities with a pipeline of 100,071 hotel rooms, according to data released by STR. Dubai is the region’s second most active market with 27,095 rooms under contract, followed by Qatar (17,145), Oman (10,292), Bahrain (3,452) and Kuwait (1,369). In total, there are 159,424 pipeline rooms under contract in the Gulf at present. Related opportunities and challenges will be placed under the microscope throughout ATM 2023, thanks to a range of panel discussions and events related to industry financing. In addition to the ITIC panels, this year’s show will feature sessions highlighting industry-critical issues such as travel tech investment, the contemporary geopolitical landscape, urban regeneration, future markets, space tourism and more. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “With nearly 160,000 hotel rooms under development across the GCC, this region is undoubtedly a global hotspot for industry investment right now. Thanks to the participation of ITIC and a host of other finance-related sessions, ATM 2023 represents the ideal forum for travel, tourism and hospitality professionals from around the world to explore the latest investment opportunities and novel financing models with some of the biggest names in our sector.” Taking place on day three of ATM 2023, the ‘ITIC Tourism Investment Session: Making Sustainable Decisions’ will feature insights from an array of industry experts. The sessions will begin with a tourism economic outlook …

The opening session of the 29th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) started off their official sessions with a spotlight on the future of international travel and tourism within the region and beyond. As the post-pandemic recovery of the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector continues apace, industry leaders took to the ATM Global Stage to explore the latest trends and global movements that are steering the sector forward. Flexibility, responsiveness, sustainability and innovation were all highlighted as catalysts for long-term success. Moderated by Eleni Giokos, Anchor and Correspondent at CNN, the opening session’s panellists included Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing; Scott Livermore, Chief Economist at Oxford Economics; Jochem-Jam Sleiffer, President – Middle East, Africa and Turkey at Hilton; Bilal Kabbani, Industry Head – Travel and Tourism at Google; and Andrew Brown, Regional Director – Europe, Middle East and Oceania at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Commenting on the ever-increasing importance of environmentally responsible travel and tourism, Issam Kazim said: “A few years ago, we launched special awards to recognise the efforts that hotels in Dubai are making in advancing sustainability within the emirate’s tourism industry. We have now broadened this with the continued support of our valued stakeholders and partners to ensure that everyone operating in the travel and tourism space is working with sustainability at top of mind. We are also highlighting its importance to residents and visitors, as evident in the launch of the Dubai Can sustainability initiative. “With the post-pandemic era set to create a highly competitive landscape, our successful tourism recovery strategy is still evolving in keeping to the disruption taking place across global tourism. As …