The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) was organized for the 29th time in Dubai. The most prominent travel and tourism show in the Middle East gathered global decision-makers in the industry looking for fresh development opportunities.
The Arabian Travel Market exhibition drew 1500 exhibitors, 158 destination representatives, and 30,000 participants this year. The discussion centered on future global tourism investment and financing solutions. With the focus turning from post-pandemic recovery to future potential, ATM 2022 was 85 percent larger than the previous year.
The Arabian Travel Market’s Exhibition Director, Danielle Curtis said:
“Over the previous 12 months, we’ve been pushing hard to collect momentum and focus on the prospective trajectories, the future growth”.
The participants
With the yearly attendance of European nations such as Greece and Germany to first-time participants such as Jamaica, the event showcases countries aiming to appeal to new tourist markets. According to Daniel Rosado Bayon, the Spain Tourism Office director, it is an excellent platform to encourage national tourism in an international market.
“We offer wonderful experiences that can be had all year, not just during the summer, but all year and around the country. From beaches to ski slopes, we offer a wide range of activities. We might also remark that Spain is a world within a country”. According to the International Air Transport Association, overall traveler numbers are expected to approach pre-pandemic levels by 2024, which is good news for exhibitors.
J.Lindeberg, a Scandinavian clothing-forward athletics company, has launched a flagship store in Dubai Mall. Hans Christian Meyer, the company’s CEO, is a design industry veteran who previously worked at Ralph Lauren and as the CEO of Tiger of Swedish prior to joining J.Lindeberg.
According to him, Dubai was the first option for their worldwide flagship shop because of its high foot traffic and visitor numbers.
“We feel that now is the best moment to continue investing in the brand.” Pre-pandemic, the Dubai Mall had 90 million visits, and we’re seeing that it’s rebounding, with 98 percent of those travelers visiting the mall”.
In 2021, J.Lindeberg’s revenues surpassed €86 million. According to CEO Hans-Christian Meyer, part of the success comes from developing brand desirability.
Arabian Travel Market
“Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism is pleased to be a part of this important event on the global tourism calendar, and we look forward to discussing and exploring opportunities for long-term growth”, said Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism).
“Dubai has never looked back since returning to the world market in July 2020. Year after year, we’ve built on this momentum, resulting in a highly successful Expo 2020 Dubai”.
“ATM 2022 will see a varied spectrum of industry professionals take to the stage, delivering authoritative views on trends, problems, and opportunities throughout our sector”, stated Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME – Arabian Travel Market.
One of the hot topics at ATM is how the variety of activities, trips, and attractions available rapidly influences people’s vacation choices and the convenience of travel.
“Our main markets are Germany and the United Kingdom, but we’re also seeing growth from the Czech Republic, Poland, and other countries that can go directly to the Emirates,” says Raki Phillips, CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA).
The ATM proved to a great success for travel industry in the Middle East, consisting of countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and more.
