ATM 2025 Forecasts: AI, Accessibility, and Sustainability Shape Travel's Future
The four-day event featuring talks and presentations on rising travel patterns and objectives at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) wrapped up yesterday.
Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the region's premier travel and hospitality trade show likely saw an all-time high attendance this year, exceeding the 46,000 attendees from the previous year.
Travel organizations, airlines, hotels, and technology suppliers from around the world, along with ministers, business leaders, and startup founders, were present at the event.
This is what the specialists predict will shape the global travel landscape ahead.
At the heart of the travel sector lies connectivity.
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 (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions).
The theme for this year, "Global Travel: Enhancing Future Tourism Through Improved Connections," established the direction for a program centered around how the sector can adjust to evolving preferences.
Jonathan Hesty, portfolio director for RX Global, organiser of ATM , said connectivity is “hugely imperative to all of us, not just organisations and destinations, but us as travellers as well.”
“A connected industry allows people to move around the world, to experience new destinations they may never have been to before, to learn about new cultures,” he added.
Industry-wise, it provides an opportunity for folks to reach out to new clients and enable others to enjoy the wonders we're showcasing at ATM this week.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of the travel sector
One overarching topic of the week was sustainability, which Hesty described as the “cornerstone of our content programme”.
The sessions covered various facets of eco-friendly travel, such as regenerative and responsible tourism , food waste within the hospitality sector, and exploring ways to create a circular economy aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of this industry.
"We’re thrilled to offer an opportunity for the sector to discuss this, exchange ideas, and develop strategies aimed at decreasing the carbon footprint of our industry," stated Hesty.
A representative from Dubai Holding Entertainment, managing several of Dubai’s prominent attractions and family 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 about educating younger generations on this topic. sustainability ,” the spokesperson said.
We offer specialized programs focused on energy conservation and waste management. Our standout feature is an incredible exhibit known as Green Planet, which revolves around nature and sustainability.
For Cristian Stanicic, general director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, sustainable tourism is also about visitor numbers.
"We aim to concentrate more on lesser-known tourist spots and smaller travel destinations," he stated.
“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.”
Technology is transforming the travel experience
Technology was highlighted as a key way to redefine the visitor experience.
Mohamed Abdallah Al-Zaabi, CEO of hotel marketing company Miral, said AI is at the core of their development strategy for their destinations Yas Island and Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi.
"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 understanding of current data, collect more information, and then create personalized and novel experiences accordingly.
Likewise, Dubai Holding Entertainment stated that technology plays a crucial role in understanding customer preferences.
The team leverages artificial intelligence to grasp the types of novel experiences families desire, hence determining their investment areas accordingly.
Journeying options available for all people
Discussions also centred around accessibility within the travel sector. Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, talked about how Dubai is ensuring inclusivity.
DXB International Airport operates under an open skies policy, he clarified, collaborating with airlines that prioritize accessibility .
“I'm so proud to say that we have just recently been announced as the first city in the Eastern Hemisphere that is certified autism destination,” he added.
And both Emirates Airlines and Dubai Airport, along with DXP International, Expo City, and various other facilities, have received the certification.
Kazim stressed that "accessibility for us signifies that each individual from around the globe and various backgrounds should have the ability to enjoy Dubai."
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