Government ministers, global tourism policymakers and senior travel industry executives from around the world are set to gather in Dubai next week for the 33rd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, where the future direction of global and regional tourism will take center stage. The four-day event will be held from September 14 to 17, 2026, at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), bringing together the international travel community to discuss emerging opportunities, challenges and trends shaping the next phase of tourism.
More than 210 speakers from government and the private sector are expected to participate across the event’s Global Stage, Future Stage and Experience Hub. The programme will feature more than 80 sessions, covering major industry issues including tourism resilience, international cooperation, artificial intelligence (AI), aviation connectivity, hospitality, changing traveller preferences, investment, sustainability and business events.
Ministers to Lead High-Level Tourism Discussions
The Global Stage programme will open on September 14 with a welcome address from H.E. Shaikha Al Nuwais of UN Tourism, followed by remarks from H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism. One of the opening day’s key sessions will be the Ministerial Debate: Building a Resilient Industry Through Collaboration, which will focus on strengthening the GCC’s tourism sector through greater cooperation and coordinated action.
The high-level discussion will feature UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Shaikha Al Nuwais, H.E. Fatima bint Jafar Al Sairafi, Bahrain’s Minister of Tourism, and Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. The panel will examine ways to maintain traveller confidence, improve international competitiveness and support sustainable long-term tourism growth.
Topics will include crisis communication, coordinated destination promotion, policy cooperation and stronger collaboration among governments, airlines and tourism businesses. Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE at RX Global, said the conference has been designed to bring together high-level decision-makers and industry experts to address the issues currently influencing the global travel sector.
AI and Technology Take Centre Stage
Technology will be one of the defining themes of ATM 2026, with ATM Travel Tech making its full debut alongside the main event. The dedicated Future Stage will explore how artificial intelligence, fintech, digital distribution and connected travel platforms are increasingly being adopted as commercial tools across the tourism industry. Dr. Marwan Alzarouni, CEO of AI at Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, will open the Future Stage with a session examining AI’s expanding role in reshaping travel infrastructure, policy and tourism ecosystems.
Leading executives from companies such as Sabre, Trip.com, Tripadvisor, Wego, MakeMyTrip, RateGain and Visa will also participate in discussions on agentic AI, online travel platforms, digital discovery, investment and changes across the travel supply chain. Among the featured technology leaders will be Schubert Lou, CEO of Trip.com, who will join Wego CEO Ross Veitch and MakeMyTrip executive Raj Rishi Singh to discuss how AI and rapid technological development are changing competition among online travel platforms.
Market Trends, Hospitality and Business Events in Focus
Research and market intelligence will form another major part of the programme. Stephen Dutton, Global Insight Manager – Travel at Euromonitor International, will examine how inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and changing consumer priorities are influencing the global travel market. Tourism Economics, part of Oxford Economics, will also present its annual ATM Travel Trends Report, focusing on the continued momentum of Middle Eastern tourism, shifts in international travel demand and emerging opportunities for destinations across the region.
Hospitality will feature prominently as well, with industry leaders discussing changing guest expectations, technology adoption and the growing importance of experience-driven travel. The Experience Hub will provide a dedicated platform for discussions on business events, corporate travel and sustainability. International organizations including ICCA, IAPCO, GBTA and SITE will participate in sessions examining the future of meetings and incentives, regional cooperation and evolving corporate travel patterns.
A dedicated session on the Middle East’s business-events sector will bring together representatives from the Oman Convention Bureau, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, Visit Qatar and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority to explore how business events can contribute to investment, talent development and knowledge exchange. With the global travel industry facing rapid technological, economic and behavioural changes, ATM 2026 is expected to serve as a major platform for governments and tourism businesses to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships and identify new opportunities for the future of international tourism.
