As technology, emerging destinations and demand for luxury travel reshape the global tourism industry, all eyes turn to Dubai for the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, the Middle East’s leading travel and hospitality trade show.
Taking place from 28 April to 1 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, 2,600 exhibitors are expected at this year’s ATM, including tourism boards, airlines, hotels and tech providers from across the globe.
With ministers, executives and entrepreneurs also in attendance, ATM is a key moment in the industry’s calendar for trendspotting, deal-making and planning.
It also offers a front-row seat to what’s next for travel worldwide.
ATM offers a record-breaking platform for global tourism
Now in its 32nd edition, ATM has evolved into one of the most influential events in the industry.
Last year’s 2024 edition set a new benchmark, welcoming over 46,000 attendees from more than 160 countries. The record-setting numbers reflected renewed global interest in Middle Eastern destinations, as well as a wider industry shift toward technology and transformation.
The 2025 event continues this momentum with a full schedule of panel talks, networking events and exhibitions spanning sectors from aviation and accommodation to wellness, hospitality and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions).
Innovation and entrepreneurship take centre stage
This year’s theme, “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity,” sets the tone for a programme focused on how the industry can adapt to changing expectations.
Artificial intelligence will also take centre stage, with sessions exploring how AI is reshaping customer service, itinerary planning, flight scheduling and more.
Panellists such as Cassie Kozyrkov, Google’s first chief decision scientist and a renowned AI expert, and Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, are lined up for sessions discussing technology in the age of disruption and innovation.
Startups will play a prominent role, too. The ATM Start-Up Pitch Battle returns, offering early-stage companies a high-profile platform to pitch their ideas to investors.
Meanwhile, many brands are expected to showcase tools aimed at improving efficiency and personalising the travel experience – key trends in luxury travel, especially.
Luxury travel and regional ambitions shape the future of the industry
Outside of AI, expect luxury travel to dominate discussions.
The sector is surging, with estimates that it could reach €3 trillion by 2032, led by high-net-worth individuals from key markets in the Middle East and Asia.
As these travellers seek increasingly bespoke and exclusive experiences, exhibitors representing top-tier hospitality brands and destinations are responding with curated packages, high-end partnerships and locally rooted strategies.
ATM will also explore how luxury tourism can align with sustainability and community inclusion, as well as the ways emerging destinations are benefiting from improved connectivity and the development of boutique and eco-minded experiences.
The event is also a platform for policy. This year, leaders from across the Gulf are expected to convene to discuss issues ranging from visa reform to tourism investment and infrastructure.
As countries in the Gulf Coast region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, expand their tourism ambitions, these discussions could help to shape a cohesive regional approach at a pivotal moment.
For those working in travel tech, hospitality, policy and more, ATM 2025 is shaping up to be a first look at tourism’s future – and a showcase of the people and places preparing to lead it.
