ATM 2026 opens in Dubai as airlines and tourism giants bet on a travel rebound

Dubai: The signs were everywhere on Monday morning: people still putting the finishing touches to their stands, exhibitors straightening displays and the first visitors making their way through the halls of Dubai World Trade Centre.

Then, almost suddenly, ATM was alive.

The 33rd edition of Arabian Travel Market opened its doors with airlines, hotels, tourism authorities, travel agencies and companies from across the travel industry arriving in Dubai — and there was a noticeable sense of hopefulness in the air.

The regional travel industry is emerging from nearly seven months of war and disruption, and ATM is providing one of its first major opportunities to get everyone into the same room again — to meet, talk, make connections and, importantly, look ahead.

The UAE's national airlines were among those already welcoming guests. Emirates and Etihad were out in force, with plenty of interest around what the two carriers will announce during the show.

Miral is also expected to make major announcements, adding to the sense that there is plenty still to come over the next few days.

Why visitors came to ATM

Aigerim Kalymzhanova, a travel agent from Almaty, Kazakhstan, was attending ATM for the first time. Her goal was simple.

Mohammad Al Ahmadani, another visitor, said the sheer number of people from different parts of the tourism industry is what makes the event interesting.

“What makes this event very exciting is the fact that there are so many networking opportunities. You get to see people from all around the world with regard to the tourism industry.”

For him, some of the most valuable moments are the unexpected ones — meeting people and discovering opportunities that were not necessarily on the original agenda.

He is also watching the marketing side of the industry, particularly the growing importance of social media and faster content creation.

“Engagement through social media and through accelerated marketing, which you can say is very possible nowadays due to the efficiency when it comes to social media content creation.”

Then there is Kidist, a 25-year-old travel agency director from Ethiopia, who is also at ATM for the first time. For her, being in Dubai is an opportunity to expand her network in a region she sees as a major travel hub.