In a few days the 29th edition, Arabian Travel Market 2022 is set to kick off. The organisers say the key Middle Eastern event will return in much larger scale than ATM 2021.

Arabian Travel market 2022(ATM) is set to kick off from May 9 to 12 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) in Dubai. About 1,500 exhibitors, representatives from 112 global destinations, and an anticipated 20,000 attendees are expected to attend the event, say the organisers. The in-person meeting will be followed by ATM Virtual on May 17-18.

As usual, the 29^th edition of ATM will be organised in collaboration with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and will form an essential part of the UAE’s annual Arabian Travel Week.

As per this year’s theme of ‘The future of international travel and tourism’, ATM 2022 will feature several specialised sessions and events that will enable industry professionals from around the world to discuss current trends and explore long-term opportunities within different sectors such as travel, transportation, tourism, hospitality, and more.

“Business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32 pc this year, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and these figures underscore the positive sentiment, that we’ve experienced throughout the region,” says Kerry Prince, Chief Growth Officer of RX, the organizer of ATM.

“This naturally bodes well for yet another successful edition of ATM, providing a catalyst to put our industry firmly on the path to a robust and sustainable recovery, alongside our partners the DET and of course the DWTC,” Prince adds.

The unique aspect of this year’s show compared to the previous is that it will be 85 pc larger than ATM 2021, due to massive growth in several sectors and region-specific zones, including Travel Tech (380 pc), hotels (71 pc), the Middle East (57 pc), Africa (56 pc), Asia (50 pc), and Europe (49 pc).

According to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME of ATM, this year’s event will be seeing a diverse range of industry leaders that will take to the stage, and offer expert insights on trends, challenges and opportunities from across travel sector.

In addition to the latest travel technology products and services, the ATM Travel Tech Stage will host a series of seminars, debates and presentations focused on the long-term trajectory of tourism in the Middle East.

The inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition, meanwhile, has generated significant buzz since its launch earlier this year. Held in conjunction with AladdinB2B and Draper Associates, the initiative will see 15 travel, tourism and hospitality start-ups pitch for USD 500,000 of funding, along with the opportunity to compete for an additional USD 500,000 of investment as part of hit TV show, ‘Meet the Drapers’.

Participating for the first time live this year after joining ATM Virtual 2021, are the ARIVALDubai@ATM forum and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). They will be providing expert advice on growing business through different sectors and will deliver latest business travel content, research and education to help drive the sector’s ongoing recovery and support longer-term growth in business travel.

ATM 2022 will also feature in-depth buyer forums dedicated to India and Saudi Arabia, which will enable both attendees to explore trends and potential opportunities within both key markets. The show floor will also be showcasing live interviews with aviation and hospitality experts, debates on the future of sports, city and responsible tourism, digital influencer networking, best stand awards, and the return of ILTM Arabia, with its focus on the lucrative luxury travel market, says a press release issued by ATM.