Arabian Travel Market 2016: It’s that time of year again, when over 25,000 visitors are anticipated in Dubai at the 23rd edition of Arabian Travel Market.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, ATM 2016 is the largest travel trade event in the Middle East.
The event will be hosted from 25-28 April at Dubai World Trade Centre, opening its doors to more than 2,800 exhibiting companies, some set to return, and others set to make their ATM debut.
Over the years, ATM has witnessed tremendous growth as one of the most important tourism events in Dubai, for which tourism is an integral part of the economy. With Dubai Expo 2020 on the horizon, ATM is the ideal platform to highlight Dubai as a top travel destination, aiming to attract at least 20 million visitors annually in the run up to the 6-month long Expo.
The upcoming event will also build still further on the success of previous editions, at which the spotlight themes of luxury travel and family travel featured.
What’s new at Arabian Travel Market 2016?
ATM 2016 will focus on the growing segment of mid-market travel, driven by demand from growing markets such as China, India and Africa combined with budget travellers and young families. It has been identified as a key opportunity for Middle East destinations looking to attract more visitors.
‘Dubai of the Future’
At the opening seminar, Dubai of the Future, panelists including Gerald Lawless, Head of Tourism at Dubai Holding, will address mid-market travel on the new ATM Global Stage.
Sir Rocco Forte at ATM 2016
This year’s event programme running alongside the ATM 2016 exhibition includes many new features, including ATM’s first ever Leaders Breakfast. Luxury hotelier and hospitality veteran, Sir Rocco Forte, will address 100 heads of private sector travel organisations at this invitation-only event at Dubai World Trade Centre.
New features at ATM
This year’s show is also forecast to be the biggest ever ATM yet, adding an exhibition hall to cater to the increased demand.
A new space, Wellness & Spa Lounge, has been dedicated to connect Middle East wellness and spa buyers with international suppliers in pre-booked appointments on 26 and 27 April.
The ATM Bloggers’ Speed Networking on 28 April is also a new addition to the show, and will connect up to 40 travel bloggers from various niches with exhibitors looking to explore potential collaborations.
Stand Design & Marketing
ATM Best Stand Awards
The annual travel show in Dubai will run an award programme to select the best exhibition stand designs, with participants across 10 halls competing for recognition in 5 categories:
- Best Stand Design
- Best Stand for Doing Business
- Best Stand Personnel
- Best Stand Feature and
- Best Stand within the Travel Tech Show at ATM
“Last year’s inaugural awards were extremely well received by our exhibitors and we are looking forward to seeing new ideas and even more creativity on the show floor this year. These awards reflect the huge effort, investment and thought that go into creating and manning exhibitor space that is a microcosm of a brand,” said Nadege Noblet-Segers, Exhibition Manager, Arabian Travel Market.
Judging will take place on 26 April with the winners announced on the following day at the exhibition and to a global audience via ATM’s social media platforms.
Visitor Attractions @ ATM Dubai
One of the most memorable attractions to date at Arabian Travel Market, as I highlighted in a previous ATM article, was by Etihad Airways. The campaign was a perfect example of highly effective visitor engagement at the welcoming design of the stand, where Georgetown Cupcake served cupcakes all the way from Washington DC, to which Etihad Airways was publicising the new direct route from Abu Dhabi.
This year’s ATM will no doubt offer innovative ideas and attractive opportunities from across the globe – it is only a matter of time to discover which surprises are in store.
Visit Arabian Travel Market 2016 – Top Tips
- ATM Dubai 2016 dates are 25-28 April, at Dubai World Trade Centre
- To avoid the entrance fee, register online in advance
- For the full ATM Events Programme, see the details on the ATM website
- Keep up-to-date with news from Arabian Travel Market 2016 by visiting the official website and following their social media channels
- Manage your visit by downloading the ATM App
ATM 2016 general information:
- ATM 2016 is an annual travel and tourism show in Dubai in its 23rd year
- ATM is organised by Reed Exhibitions, which includes World Travel Market in London in its worldwide travel exhibitions portfolio
Good work by officials 🙂