The Business Events Stage hosted a high-profile panel discussion
The 32nd edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) opened on Monday at the Dubai World Trade Centre, convening more than 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.
In a press statement, the organisers say that on the opening day, the Business Events Stage hosted a high-profile panel discussion examining how major events and festivals are driving socio-economic growth across the UAE.
The statement adds that the panel discussion moderated by Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), brought together Ahmed Al-Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, Mubarak Al Shamsi, Director of Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Iyad Rasbey, VP of Destination Tourism Development at Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority; and Martin Thomas Boyle, CEO of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO).
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Additionally, Al-Khaja highlighted the transformative impact of Dubai’s festivals, notably the Dubai Shopping Festival, which has attracted millions of visitors since its launch in 1996, shaping both the city’s cultural identity and economic vitality.
Mubarak Al Shamsi
“In recent years, Abu Dhabi has achieved remarkable success in hosting major exhibitions, conferences and events, delivering clear economic benefits. However, our strategy extends beyond numbers and is focussed on creating a long-lasting legacy that aligns with vision 2030, with a focus on advancing key sectors including healthcare, innovation, sustainability and energy,” says Al Shamsi.
“Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) is an important segment and has contributed significantly to our growth. Last year, Ras Al Khaimah achieved 40 pc growth, with MICE being the fourth largest segment contributing to this. It is vital for us to secure events that contribute to our growth and development. Examples of past events include the Global Citizen Forum, which attracted investors and high-net-worth individuals to the Emirate. In terms of tourism growth, hosting the Arab Aviation Summit enabled us to connect Ras Al Khaimah International Airport with 11 cities globally,” says Rasbey.
Iyad Rasbey
According to the statement, industry experts including Fouad Talat of Booking.com, John Bevan of dnata Travel Group, and Amani O’Neill of Airbnb explored the microtrends redefining travel. Topics such as sleep tourism, dark tourism and coffee tourism were discussed, with speakers emphasising how these trends are influencing traveller behaviour and prompting destinations to adapt their marketing and development strategies accordingly.
The statement adds that the newly launched IBTM@ATM Zone featured a session in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), titled State of the Nation: Navigating the Future of Business Travel in the Middle East.
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“In general, the argument for business travel in 2025 is strong, but transformational change will continue to influence how we travel for work around the world. These include economic stability, budget factors, how and where we work, implications of technology, the evolution of sustainability in business travel and the focus on the traveller,” says Catherine Logan, Regional Senior Vice President EMEA and APAC, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).
Adding to it the organisers say that the discussion provided a comprehensive analysis of the region’s business travel market, which, according to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook Report, accounted for 1.2 pc of global business travel spend.
The statement says that the Middle East has outperformed all other regions post-pandemic, with spending reaching USD 18.1 billion in 2024, a 19.4 pc increase over pre-Covid levels and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1 pc in 2025.
Ciaran Kelly
“There is a positive outlook for business travel in the region, backed by trends we are seeing from our customers, surveys and what our forecasts are for the year ahead. A lot of the growth is due to the public and private projects taking place, it is almost impossible to get a seat on a plane from Dubai to Riyadh, for example, and once you land, hotel availability is limited. Hotel occupancy across the region is the highest globally, around 70-80 pc mark putting a lot of pressure on hotels, but in general, everything is positive,” says Ciaran Kelly, Managing Director of Middle East & Africa, FCM Travel.
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“Understanding the shifts in business travel spending is essential for companies that want to remain competitive and resilient in a fast-evolving market. Sessions like this at IBTM@ATM are crucial for providing our attendees with actionable insights and real-world analysis, empowering them to navigate shifting travel patterns and discover new opportunities in the Middle East and beyond,” says Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market.
Danielle Curtis
According to the statement, the business events stage at IBTM@ATM will continue to explore emerging trends across business travel, MICE and corporate events until Wednesday, April 30. The sessions will cover various topics, including the integration of AI and future-proofing strategies for business travel, the human connection versus AI in event experiences, new trends in Chinese outbound MICE travel, achieving net zero carbon emissions in the events industry and advancing climate action through strategic partnerships in business travel, among other topics.
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