Arabian Travel Market 2026 wrapped up at Dubai World Trade Centre on September 17, closing out four days of industry dealmaking with more than 55 destination stands and representation from C-suite executives and procurement professionals across 15 countries, including India, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, China, and the United States.
The show’s most significant announcement was the launch of Visit UAE, the country’s first unified national tourism brand, intended to present the seven emirates as a single integrated destination. Alongside it, organisers unveiled the UAE Grand Tour, an online platform offering visitors a continuous route through all seven emirates.
“Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 once again provided an invaluable platform for the global travel and tourism industry to come together in Dubai, with strong participation from both local and international stakeholders reinforcing our city’s position as a safe, connected and accessible global destination. The event delivered opportunities to strengthen partnerships, share insights and identify new areas for collaboration across the sector, and the level of engagement reflected continued confidence in Dubai’s tourism proposition. We are proud to have been part of another successful edition of ATM and look forward to building on these relationships to support the sector’s long-term growth,” Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said in a statement.
Emirates signed 11 memoranda of understanding during the event, covering seven regional and global destinations across technology, marketing, passenger experience, and packaged products.
Etihad Airways and Etihad Rail separately signed an MoU to explore a joint air-rail travel product connecting visitors and residents to destinations across the UAE, with Abu Dhabi positioned as the network’s entry point.
On the hospitality side, Rotana set out the next phase of its growth strategy: a pipeline of 40 hotels and more than 8,300 keys under development, with ten of those projects in Saudi Arabia.
In a separate announcement, a consortium of Air Arabia Group, Nesma Group and KUN Holding Company confirmed a new Saudi carrier would begin operations on September 20, 2026, connecting Dammam with Riyadh, Madinah and Jeddah.
Technology had a notably larger footprint this year, with floorspace dedicated to it doubling following the debut of the co-located ATM Travel Tech show. Mastercard and Trip.com used the platform to demonstrate AI-powered booking experiences through a tool called TripGenie, developed with Network International.
“ATM 2026 saw a typically robust showing from the Middle East’s travel and tourism community, and we were delighted to see such strong representation from international markets. The event played host to a string of important announcements from leaders in both the public and private sectors, and floorspace dedicated to technology doubled with the debut of the co-located ATM Travel Tech show.” Curtis added: “There was a tangible sense of confidence and optimism throughout this year’s edition, as exhibitors capitalised on opportunities to fill their Q4 sales pipelines. Preparations for ATM 2027 are already underway, and we cannot wait to explore fresh opportunities, partnerships and innovations with delegates when we welcome them back to Dubai in May,” Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX Global added.
Held under the theme Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology, ATM 2026 ran more than 90 sessions across its Global Stage, Future Stage and Experience Hub, alongside 28 live showcases in the Tech and Innovation Hub Demo Zone. The next edition will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 3 to 6 May 2027.
