ATM 2018 will open its doors on April 22
The Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2018) will open its doors on Sunday, April 22, with deals worth over $2.5 billion expected to be signed over the course of the 4-day event.
Now in its 25th year, the event is expected to draw the participation of over 2,500 exhibiting companies and will feature the largest ever hotel exhibition space in the show's history. Over 40,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, which will be held under the theme of 'Responsible Tourism'.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the event opening, Simon Press, senior exhibition director, ATM, said the event will be the largest one to date, featuring 65 national pavilions from 150 countries.
"Now just 2 years away, Expo 2020 is driving growth in Dubai as the emirate seeks to complete 160,000 hotel rooms in time to welcome an additional 5 million visitors for the mega event," he said. "Over the coming years, we will see these new properties prosper as millions more tourists visit the region for the first time. The last 12 months brought unprecedented developments in major markets and the region is poised for further great developments in 2018."
Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai's Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said the goal for the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors has been very clear from the start. "We want to bring in more tourists to Dubai, whether it's for leisure or for business. However, this also means that we have a responsibility to ensure that our goals and growth are sustainable. In this, we are lucky to have the support of Emirates airline."
"Dubai is on the map and it is the centre of now," said Thierry Antinori, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer of Emirates airline. "As an airline, we are proud of the role we have played in its growth. International air connectivity is a key driver in tourism, and with 159 destinations across 6 continents in our network, we will continue to bring travellers to and through Dubai. Today, you can reach 90 per cent of the world's population with a non-stop flight from Dubai."
Olivier Harnisch, CEO of Emaar Hospitality Group, said Dubai is a great example of what happens when different entities across the public and private sectors come together successfully. "There is a lot happening in the hospitality sector right now, and not just in Dubai, but across all the emirates. Technology has played a key role in driving growth, but we believe that it is not everything; hospitality is a people's business. Technology is a great compliment to people in this industry. Dubai, itself, is a very dynamic market both in terms of growth and maturity."
This year, ATM has partnered with International Hotel Investment Conference organisers to present the inaugural Destination Investment panel. Taking place on the ATM Global Stage, the session will discuss what drives investment in travel destinations across the Middle East and neighbouring regions.
Also debuting this year will be the ATM Student Conference - 'Career in Travel' - a programme aimed at students and graduates who are looking to pursue a career in the travel and tourism industry. Taking place on the final day of ATM, this programme will allow tomorrow's travel professionals and hoteliers, to listen to guest speakers and travel industry leaders.
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