Major Dubai travel event Arabian Travel Market 2026 moves to September

Dubai: Dubai’s flagship travel trade event, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, has been moved to new dates, with organisers confirming that the show will now take place from September 14 to 17 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

The date change comes after what organisers described as extensive consultation with exhibitors and industry stakeholders, with the move aimed at ensuring stronger participation from global travel businesses and buyers.

The shift comes at a time when parts of the UAE’s events calendar have already seen disruption this year, with several concerts, exhibitions and industry gatherings either postponed or rescheduled as regional tensions affected flights, logistics and travel plans across the Gulf.

ATM, which usually takes place April-May, itself had earlier been moved as organisers worked around industry disruption and participation concerns.

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX Global, said: “We have been listening and working closely with our exhibitors, partners and stakeholders from across the global travel industry, and the decision to move Arabian Travel Market 2026 to 14–17 September reflects that ongoing dialogue and collaboration.”

She added: “Our priority is always to ensure that ATM delivers the strongest possible platform for business, networking and partnership opportunities for the international travel community.”

What to expect at ATM 2026?

Curtis said the revised dates would help “exhibitors, buyers and visitors from around the world to maximise their participation and engagement at the event.”

Now in its 33rd edition, Arabian Travel Market remains one of the Middle East’s biggest travel trade gatherings, bringing together destinations, airlines, hotels, tourism boards, travel technology firms and industry executives from across the global tourism ecosystem.

This year’s edition will continue under the theme “Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology”, with a strong focus on how technology is reshaping travel.

The conference programme will include sessions on destination resilience, traveller experience, aviation innovation, digital transformation and long-term sustainable growth, with speakers from research and strategy firms including Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, Euromonitor, Dragon Trail and Videc.