Arabian Travel Market to host its 2021 edition as in-person event in Dubai

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) has confirmed that the 2021 edition of its annual event, will be conducted in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) later this year.

The event will take place from Sunday, May 16 to Wednesday, May 19, as final preparations are currently being put in place.

In addition to Reed Exhibitions’ Global Covid-19 ‘Safety Shows’ Health and Safety strategy, ATM is also working with Dubai World Trade Centre and with Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to provide a safe, touchless and seamless experience, a statement said.

The show will strictly adhere to the health and safety guidelines set by the Dubai Government and followed by venue, it added.

Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world to visit with a 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.”

This year’s theme – ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ – will focus on the latest Covid-19 related new from around the world, including vaccine rollouts, social and travel restrictions and the current state of the industry.

A total of 62 countries represented by main stand holders and sharers will be participating this year, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Germany, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Italy, Greece, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Maldives, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and the US, among others. The show’s features will include Travel Forward at ATM, which will highlight keynote speakers and technology experts, that will provide insights about the latest technologies and trends that will shape the future of travel and tourism.

The ATM 2021 conference programme includes the Global Stage which will feature the Hotel Industry Summit and Buyer Forums dedicated to key source markets such as Saudi Arabia, India and China. Other events include an International Tourism and Investment Conference, as well as events on Gulf-Israeli ties, an Aviation Panel and a special seminar aimed at encouraging women to take up careers in tourism and travel.

In addition, other co-located events will include the Digital Influencer Speed Networking event and Buyers’ Club.

A virtual ATM event will be held during May 24-26 to reach a wider audience. The ATM Virtual, which made its debut earlier this year,  attracted 12,000 online attendees from 140 countries.

“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 every year, particularly this year with travel restrictions still in place,” said Curtis.

ATM 2021’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) as a destination partner, Emaar Hospitality Group as the official hotel partner and Emirates as the official airline partner.