ATM 2025 Forecasts: AI, Accessibility, and Sustainability Shape Travel's Future
The four-day event featuring talks and showcases about rising travel patterns and objectives at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) concluded yesterday.
Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Middle East’s premier travel and hospitality trade show likely saw an all-time high attendance this year, surpassing the previous count of 46,000 attendees from the prior event.
Travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and technology suppliers from around the world, along with ministers, business leaders, and startup founders, were present at the event.
Here’s what the experts predict will shape the future of global travel.
Connectivity is at the core of the travel industry
The 32nd edition of ATM featured a wide array of panel discussions, networking activities, and exhibits covering industries ranging from aviation and hospitality to wellness , hospitality along with MICE events (meeting sessions, incentive programs, conference gatherings and exhibition showcases).
This year’s theme, “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity,” set the tone for a programme focused on how the industry can adapt to changing expectations.
Jonathan Hesty, the portfolio director at RX Global, which is the organiser of ATM , mentioned that connectivity is "extremely important for all of us, not only for organizations and locations, but also for travelers like ourselves."
"A linked industry enables individuals to travel across the globe, explore new destinations they might not have visited previously, and gain knowledge about different cultures," he said.
From an industry perspective, it provides an opportunity for individuals to reach out to potential clients and enable newcomers to enjoy the attractions showcased at ATM this week.
Sustainability forms the bedrock of the tourism industry.
The main theme for this week revolved around sustainability, a concept that Hesty highlighted as the "foundation of our content strategy."
The sessions touched upon various facets of eco-friendly travel, such as regenerative and responsible tourism , food waste within the hospitality sector, and exploring ways to establish a circular economy aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of this industry.
"We’re thrilled to offer a platform where the industry can discuss this issue, exchange ideas, and develop strategies to minimize the carbon footprint of the sector," stated Hesty.
A representative from Dubai Holding Entertainment, managing several of Dubai’s prominent landmarks and family-oriented venues, emphasized that sustainability is "an extremely crucial foundation of our company."
We possess properties where we provide family-oriented experiences, and we feel strongly that it’s crucial to educate upcoming generations on this. sustainability ,” the spokesperson said.
“We have very specific programmes about energy savings and waste management. We have an amazing attraction called Green Planet that is all about nature and sustainability.”
According to Cristian Stanicic, who serves as the general director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, sustainable tourism involves managing visitor counts effectively.
“We want to be focused more on less popular tourism destinations, smaller tourism destinations,” he said.
“And we want to extend our tourism season to pre- and after-season, not only in the summer season, because we want to avoid some scenarios that we’ve seen in other Mediterranean countries with overtourism.”
Innovation is reshaping the way we travel.
Technology emerged as a crucial element for reshaping the visitor experience.
Mohamed Abdallah Al-Zaabi, who leads the hotel marketing firm Miral, stated AI Sitting at the heart of their growth plan for their locations Yas Island and Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi is this key element.
"One of our primary objectives at Yas Island and Saadiyat is to craft a distinctive and engaging experience for our patrons," he stated.
“We use big data Using machine learning to gain deeper insights into customer behavior, enhance our comprehension of current data, collect more information, and then create customized and tailored distinct new experiences accordingly.
Likewise, Dubai Holding Entertainment stated that technology plays a crucial role in understanding customers' preferences.
The team leverages AI to discern the types of novel experiences families desire, and consequently, where they should allocate their investments.
Journeying that is available to all
The discussions also focused on improving accessibility in the travel industry. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, spoke about Dubai’s efforts towards inclusion.
He mentioned that DXB International Airport follows an open skies policy and collaborates with airlines that prioritize accessibility .
"I am extremely delighted to announce that we have just been recognized as the first city in the Eastern Hemisphere to be certified as an Autism-Friendly Destination," he mentioned.
And both Emirates Airlines and Dubai Airport, along with DXP International, Expo City, and various other facilities have received the necessary certifications.
Kazim stressed that " accessibility for us signifies that each individual from around the globe and all societal segments should have the ability to appreciate Dubai."
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