ATM runs until April 27 at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre. Here are four reasons for travel businesses to attend.
1. Experiential travel
Adventure, culture, heritage, wellness and spa, and cruise tourism encapsulate experiential travel, a global trend the region offers in spades and that the 2017 edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) adopts as its theme.
“The Middle East has an abundance of authentic local experiences, from overnight stays in stone houses in Omani villages to Old Dubai walking tours that search out the best street food,” says Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM. “We also want to create awareness of how to convert concepts into viable commercial realities and broaden the appeal of Middle East destinations while supporting sustainable economic development.”
2. Tech trends
Biometric-enabled baggage solutions, cloud passports, personalised travel, spontaneous travel apps and virtual reality travel are five trends that will drive the industry, according to the Tourism and Technology Trends report released by global commercial real estate firm Colliers International just before ATM got under way.
Colliers also identifies hospitality technology evolutions including using beacons to pilot Bluetooth across public spaces to allow on-demand flash marketing within the property or guest identification, and the ease of alternative accommodations with channels such as Airbnb.com. ATM will be a showcase for these trends.
3. Expo 2020 legacy debate
Expo 2020 Dubai: The Legacy, chaired by UAE broadcaster Richard Dean and that sees four VIP speakers in attendance, kicks off tomorrow. The session assesses Expo 2020’s role in delivering the UAE government’s long-term vision for economic diversification.
4. Wellness tourism market
ATM’s Wellness Symposium, a collaboration between the World Travel Market and the Global Wellness Institute, explores the Middle East and North Africa’s thriving domestic and international wellness tourism markets.
The UAE tops the Middle Eastern wellness tourism market, which generates $2.7 billion (Dh9.92 billion) annually, according to Colliers Experiential Travel Series.
The symposium will be held at the Wellness Lounge at the venue.
