Dubai to host world’s largest...

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021 will be the largest in-person travel and tourism event in the world, since the onset of the pandemic last year

Now in its 28th year, ATM 2021 will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from Sunday 16 to Wednesday 19 May, as final preparations are being put in place.

Speaking about what visitors can expect from the event, WTM & IBTM Portfolios director Claude Blanc said: “The theme of this year’s show is ‘A new dawn for travel and tourism’ and the spotlight will be focused on the very latest Covid news from around the world – vaccine rollouts, the current state of the industry and more importantly, what the future holds.”

Among the highlights, CNN’s Becky Anderson will moderate the first day’s opening session, ‘Tourism For a Brighter Future‘ with His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, the director general of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and special guests. Connecting Travel editorial director Sarah Hedley Hymers will moderate the second day’s opening session: ‘Sector Collaboration: Travel and Health Intersect Like Never Before‘, on behalf of the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council with industry leaders Clive Bourke, Dr Edem Adzogenu, Kashif Khaled, Stephanie Boyle and Ernesto Sanchez Beaumont.

ATM 2021 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, spread across nine halls. Consistent with the existing density restrictions and social distancing guidelines and regulations, there will be 11,000 people in the halls at any given time.

ATM 2021’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) as Destination Partner, Emaar Hospitality Group as Official Hotel Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner and The Vision as Official Destination Management Partner.

Commenting on how the emirate has been a positive example of industry recovery, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) CEO Issam Kazim said: “As Dubai plays host to the Arabian Travel Market during this challenging period, it is testament to the city’s tireless efforts in leading the restart of global tourism, inspired and guided by our visionary leadership with the goal of positioning Dubai as one of the world’s safest destinations.

“It is noteworthy that through a proven framework for welcoming back visitors safely and ensuring they enjoy a well-rounded destination experience, as well as our ability to transform challenges into opportunities, Dubai has demonstrated a successful model for recovery of the international travel and tourism sector. With industry professionals from around the world set to converge in the city this month, we look forward to sharing Dubai’s positive outlook during ATM 2021, while emphasising how crucial it is to always keep the health and safety of travellers at the top of the agenda to ensure tourism growth.”

For more information and to register for ATM 2021 click here