Welcome to the future of travel, tourism and hospitality

With travel and tourism professionals from every corner of the planet gathering face-to-face in the UAE, ATM 2022 represents an unparalleled opportunity to learn, discuss and connect, says Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME –Arabian Travel Market

As the international travel sector continues to open up and the global travel industry’s recovery gains increasing momentum, it strikes me that Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022 couldn’t have arrived at a more opportune time.

Following what has undeniably been a challenging, few years for our industry, ATM 2022 will shine a spotlight on its future, exploring trends, opportunities and catalysts for change along the road to frictionless travel and transportation, and seamless tourism and hospitality experiences.

Every year, ATM offers an opportunity for thousands of industry professionals from every corner of the world to gather face-toface in the UAE, and the 2022 edition is no exception. Held in collaboration with Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and the emirate’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), ATM forms an essential part of the UAE’s annual Arabian Travel Week. This year’s show features 1,500 exhibitors across 10 halls, as well as representatives from 112 destinations. With more than 20,000 visitors expected to attend, 2022 looks set to go down as one of the most exciting editions in our 29-year history.

With so much going on, selecting highlights is more difficult than ever, but I have managed to identify a handful of sessions and events that I think make ATM 2022 particularly special.

Our revamped and rebranded ATM Travel Tech event (previously known as Travel Forward) is a must-attend fixture, featuring seminars, debates and presentations focused on this year’s theme, ‘The future of international travel and tourism’. Industry professionals from around the world will be on hand to provide expert insights and perspectives on where our sector is heading and how we can take advantage.

As a globally recognised tech hub, Dubai offers an unparalleled environment for entrepreneurs and start-ups working to drive advancements within travel, tourism and hospitality. Indeed, the effective development and implementation of technology is essential to our industry’s day-to-day operations as well as its long-term sustainability and success.

Cutting-edge solutions are helping businesses within our sector to streamline their activities while simultaneously improving the customer experience. Yet despite the significant progress that has been made in this respect, we cannot afford to take our foot off the accelerator.

It’s for this reason that ATM 2022 is teaming up with AladdinB2B and Draper Associates. Together, we aim to help incubate a new generation of industry innovation.

The inaugural ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition is already generating a huge buzz. The initiative will see 15 travel, tourism and hospitality start-ups pitch for up to $500,000 of funding – not to mention the opportunity to compete for an additional $500,000 of investment as part of hit TV show, Meet the Drapers

By capitalising on the Middle East’s status as an innovation hub and taking advantage of

Adventurer by the day, Poet by night.

Part of Sharjah Collection, by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq)