Arabian Travel Market = A Success!
The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is a travel and tourism event, organized annually in Dubai to provide a platform for inbound and outbound tourism professionals in the Middle East and gives information. ATM this year took place from May 16th - May 19th in Dubai and was the first in person travel trade event in over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trove team attended the event and was able to meet travel agents, tour operators, and tourism board representatives from across the Middle East.
Overall, the ATM was a success as it was a much needed push towards travel recovery. It is a positive sign of a trend upwards of more in-person business in the tourism and travel industry. The conference saw the exchange of new business, ideas, and opportunities between Gulf area, MIddle East, and wider global operators, companies and government agencies, as well as showcases in travel and technology. In addition, it is a sign that MENA will be one of the first regions to bounce back from COVID, given strong vaccination rates and comparatively more solidified travel entry policies. In addition, the market showcased the growth in tourism capacity for some nations within the MENA region. For example, within Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, the number of local destination management companies (DMCs) increased from 17 in Summer 2019 to 72 in present day.
Before the virtual element of the Arabian Travel Market begins on May 24th, there were several take-aways from the conference:
Present were exhibitors from 62 countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy, Germany, Cyprus, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, the Maldives, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and the US, underscoring the strength of the trade show and an upswing. Countries want to do business together again. Several locations in the region are seeing rapid movements towards pre-COVID numbers, such as Dubai, who is seeing increased capacity in venues and hotels.
Digital technology is playing a front-facing role in the tourism industry in 2021. Tour operators, destination marketing organizations and tourism authorities invest in digital for enhanced marketing and visitor experience.
China was positioned as a major source market for many MENA destinations as global travel re-opens.
Several destinations announced increased investment in ecotourism. For example, Ras Al-Khaimah, the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates, announced an investment of Dh500m in 20 ecotourism destinations. In addition, the Red Sea Development Company plans to award contracts worth a total of 20 billion Saudi riyals over the next two years.
New travel corridors are being set up, for example between the UAE and the Maldives.
Several hospitality operators pledged to expand their Middle East footprint, including Millennium Hotels, who pledged to double its portfolio in the Middle East to 100 properties.
General consensus amongst hotel and travel associations present at the conference is that hygiene is the most important factor for all travelers moving forward through to 2022.
Airlines have announced new strategic directions, segments, and products. For example, Emirates has now launched a Premium Economy product, a first for the airline. ATM visitors were able to experience the seats for the first time.
Lastly, and most importantly, exhibitors and visitors felt safe and comfortable whilst collaborating at ATM. The policies and safety measures in place allowed for easy coordination, new business, and wonderfully interactive events. Cheers to virtual ATM this week!
Thank you Danny and Santosh for the experience!