His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, officially inaugurated the 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) on 28 April 2025. The event is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 1 May.
Following the inauguration, His Highness toured the exhibition halls accompanied by senior dignitaries, including His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority; and His Excellency Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate for Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai.
Record-Breaking Participation:
This year’s ATM has achieved record participation, featuring:
- Exhibitors: 2,800 from 166 countries.
- Expected Attendees: 55,000 professionals and leaders from various sectors of the global travel industry, including leisure, business events (MICE), luxury, and corporate travel.
- Significant Growth: Notable increases in international exhibitor participation, including a 20% rise from Asia, 15% from the Middle East, over 12% from Europe, and continued growth from Africa and the Americas.
Theme: Global Travel – Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity:
The overarching theme for ATM 2025 emphasizes the crucial role of:
- Cross-border collaboration
- Industry partnerships
- Community engagement
- Sustainable practices
in shaping the future of tourism.
New Features:
- IBTM@ATM: A new zone dedicated to business events, offering pre-scheduled meetings and a focused conference on the new Business Events Stage.
- ATM Travel Tech: Expanded by over 26%, this area highlights the growing integration of technology in travel, with a new Start-Up and Innovation Zone showcasing 21 pioneering companies. Visitors can also engage with immersive VR experiences that demonstrate the future of travel solutions.
- Start-Up and Innovation Zone: A new area showcasing 21 pioneering companies reshaping the future of travel. This zone also offers an immersive VR experience to explore new possibilities and transformative solutions.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, commented:
“From next-generation technologies to the introduction of IBTM@ATM, this year’s edition reflects an industry that is more connected, innovative, and resilient than ever. ATM continues to foster global collaboration and drive meaningful business outcomes.”
ATM Conference ProgrammeL:
The ATM Conference returns with over 200 speakers and more than 70 sessions across three stages: Global Stage, Future Stage, and the new Business Events Stage. The programme covers pressing topics such as the future of aviation, sustainability, AI adoption, and evolving hospitality trends.
- Opening Day: Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr and Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist, led a session on AI adoption in the travel sector.
- Day Two: The annual Ministerial Session will focus on unlocking tourism growth through connectivity, with participation from the tourism ministers of Bahrain and Lebanon, and the CEO of Trip.com.
- Day Three: Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, will explore aviation’s future amid global disruption. The IBTM World Trends Report will also be presented.
- Final Day: Features regional insight sessions on Asia Pacific and India, along with the highly anticipated ATM Start-Up Competition, spotlighting travel innovations and entrepreneurial pitches.
Organised in collaboration with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2025’s strategic partners include the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as Destination Partner; Emirates as Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts as Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel as Official DMC Partner.