Latest news with #IBTM
Daily Tribune
02-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
ATM Dubai Draws 55,000 Visitors, Records 16% Growth
TDT| Dubai The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 concluded on Thursday with a record turnout of over 55,000 attendees from 166 countries, marking a 16% year-on-year increase and reinforcing the event's growing global stature. Held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 28th to May 1st, the show featured more than 2,800 exhibiting companies—19% from the Middle East and 81% from other global markets. Organised by RX Global, this year's theme, Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow's Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity, explored how cross-border, cross-sector collaboration is shaping the future of tourism. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visited the show. It was officially inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, while His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured the floor and reviewed this year 's highlights. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME at ATM, said the event delivered strong engagement across the industry: 'The outstanding turnout and record-breaking number of exhibitors are clear indicators of ATM's crucial role in shaping the future of global tourism and connectivity.' Regional growth stood out, with year-on-year exhibitor increases from the Middle East (19%), Asia (20%), Europe (17%), and Africa (21%). Asia led growth at the show, reflecting stronger regional connectivity. The top ten non-GCC international markets were India, Türkiye, UK, Egypt, USA, China, Sri Lanka, Spain, Maldives, and Pakistan. ATM Travel Tech surged 26% this year, with over 100 companies presenting innovations, including 21 showcased in a new Start-Up and Innovation Zone, plus an immersive VR experience. The hotel segment also saw 12% growth, with all major international hotel chains represented. Meanwhile, the conference programme featured 70 sessions and over 200 speakers across the Global Stage, Future Stage, and the newly introduced Business Events Stage under IBTM@ ATM, which debuted this year as a dedicated zone for business event professionals.
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Middle East business travel to grow 6.1% in 2025, adapting to global shifts
Experts gathered on day one of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, held from 28 April to 1 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, to discuss the evolving trends in business travel spending, regional economic strategies, and the global economic conditions shaping the future of business travel in the Middle East. The session, titled 'State of the Nation: Navigating the Future of Business Travel in the Middle East,' held in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), provided valuable insights into the market dynamics influencing corporate travel budgets and decision-making. Changing dynamics of corporate travel Catherine Logan, regional senior vice president EMEA and APAC, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), said: "In general, the argument for business travel in 2025 is strong, but transformational change will continue to influence how we travel for work around the world. These include economic stability, budget factors, how and where we work, implications of technology, the evolution of sustainability in business travel and the focus on the traveller." Logan also highlights that sustainably managed business travel is a force for good, driving progress for businesses, governments, economies and people. Middle East business travel performance According to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook Report, the Middle East accounts for 1.2% of global business travel spend and has performed better than any other region post-Covid, with spend reaching 19.4% higher than pre-Covid levels. The estimated business travel spending in the Middle East was $18.1bn in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% in 2025, highlighting the region's strategic importance in the global corporate travel and events ecosystem. Ciaran Kelly, managing director of Middle East & Africa, FCM Travel, said: "There is a positive outlook for business travel in the region, backed by trends we are seeing from our customers, surveys, and what our forecasts are for the year ahead. "A lot of the growth is due to the public and private projects taking place – it is almost impossible to get a seat on a plane from Dubai to Riyadh, for example, and once you land, hotel availability is limited. Hotel occupancy across the region is the highest globally, around the 70-80% mark, putting a lot of pressure on hotels, but in general, everything is positive." Reflecting on the significance of the session, Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: "Understanding the shifts in business travel spending is essential for companies that want to remain competitive and resilient in a fast-evolving market. "Sessions like this at IBTM@ATM are crucial for providing our attendees with actionable insights and real-world analysis, empowering them to navigate shifting travel patterns and discover new opportunities in the Middle East and beyond."
Daily Tribune
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Business Travel Surges
TDT| Dubai Business travel spending across the Middle East is projected to grow by 6.1 percent in 2025, underlining the region's growing influence in reshaping global corporate travel trends, experts revealed at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 in Dubai. Speaking at the IBTM@ATM Business Events Stage, travel and tourism leaders highlighted how the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are leading the regional recovery, driven by major economic projects, increased connectivity, and evolving business travel priorities. According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the Middle East has performed better than any other region globally, with business travel spending now 19.4 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels. The region's estimated spend reached $18.1 billion in 2024, with strong growth expected to continue through 2025. Catherine Logan, Regional Senior Vice President for GBTA, noted that while business travel remains vital worldwide, the ways in which companies manage travel are undergoing major change. 'The Middle East, especially the GCC, is responding proactively to global pressures by balancing innovation, economic development, and sustainability,' she said. Ciaran Kelly, Managing Director for FCM Travel in the Middle East and Africa, pointed to the sheer scale of ongoing public and private sector projects across the region as a major growth engine. 'Flights between key hubs like Dubai and Riyadh are heavily booked, and hotel occupancy rates across the region are among the highest globally, at around 70 to 80 percent,' he said. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director at Arabian Travel Market, stressed that understanding evolving travel behaviours is crucial for businesses and destinations across the Gulf. 'The insights shared at IBTM@ATM help organisations identify future opportunities and adapt to the fast-evolving business travel landscape,' she said. The Business Events Stage at ATM continues through 30th April, with sessions covering AI integration into events, strategies for achieving net-zero carbon targets, emerging outbound markets such as China, and the future of MICE travel in a digitally transforming world. With major initiatives such as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, the UAE's expansion of aviation and tourism hubs, and Qatar's growing role in global conferences and exhibitions, the GCC is poised to reinforce its position as a key driver of business travel growth in the years ahead.
Mid East Info
29-04-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Middle East business travel spending adapts to global shifts, reaching 6.1% growth in 2025, say experts at IBTM@ATM 2025
Business travel in 2025 remains strong, but evolving factors from economic conditions and budgets to technology, sustainability, and traveller expectations are reshaping how and why we travel for work Middle East has performed better than any other region post-COVID, with business travel spending reaching 19.4% higher than pre-COVID levels IBTM@ATM Business Events Stage at Arabian Travel Market 2025 provides critical insights into the evolving global corporate travel and MICE landscape Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 2025: Current trends in business travel spending, changing global economic conditions, and the increasing impact of regional economic strategies have emerged as significant forces shaping the future of business travel in the Middle East. Today, experts gathered at the new Business Events Stage during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, part of the newly launched IBTM@ATM Zone , to discuss how regional business travel spending is adapting in response to these global shifts and to explore the financial outlook driving strategic developments across the sector. In partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the session titled State of the Nation: Navigating the Future of Business Travel in the Middle East provided a thorough analysis of the market dynamics influencing corporate travel budgets and decision-making processes today. Catherine Logan, Regional Senior Vice President EMEA and APAC, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) , said: 'In general, the argument for business travel in 2025 is strong, but transformational change will continue to influence how we travel for work around the world. These include economic stability, budget factors, how and where we work, implications of technology, the evolution of sustainability in business travel and the focus on the traveller.' Logan also highlights that sustainably managed business travel is a force for good, driving progress for businesses, governments, economies and people. According to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook Report, the Middle East accounts for 1.2% of global business travel spend and has performed better than any other region post-COVID with spend reaching 19.4% higher than pre-COVID levels. The estimated business travel spending in the Middle East was $18.1 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% in 2025, highlighting the region's strategic importance in the global corporate travel and events ecosystem. Ciaran Kelly, Managing Director of Middle East & Africa, FCM Travel, said: 'There is a positive outlook for business travel in the region, backed by trends we are seeing from our customers, surveys, and what our forecasts are for the year ahead. A lot of the growth is due to the public and private projects taking place – it is almost impossible to get a seat on a plane from Dubai to Riyadh, for example, and once you land, hotel availability is limited. Hotel occupancy across the region is the highest globally, around 70-80% mark putting a lot of pressure on hotels, but in general, everything is positive.' Reflecting on the significance of the session, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: 'Understanding the shifts in business travel spending is essential for companies that want to remain competitive and resilient in a fast-evolving market. Sessions like this at IBTM@ATM are crucial for providing our attendees with actionable insights and real-world analysis, empowering them to navigate shifting travel patterns and discover new opportunities in the Middle East and beyond.' The Business Events Stage at IBTM@ATM will continue to explore emerging trends across business travel, MICE, and corporate events until Wednesday, 30 April. The sessions will cover various topics, including the integration of AI and future-proofing strategies for business travel, the human connection versus AI in event experiences, new trends in Chinese outbound MICE travel, achieving net zero carbon emissions in the events industry, and advancing climate action through strategic partnerships in business travel, among other topics. The 32 nd edition of Arabian Travel Market, held under the theme 'Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow's Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity' , will welcome more than 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), reinforcing Dubai's pivotal role as a centre for global tourism and business collaboration. Held in conjunction with DWTC, ATM's strategic partners include Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner. Now in its 32nd year, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the leading international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. Held annually at the Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024 spanned 12 halls, making it the largest edition to date. The event attracted over 47,000 attendees, more than 35,000 visitors (including 6,000+ high-value buyers) and over 2,550 exhibitors and representatives from over 161 countries. In 2025, ATM will expand to 13 halls, growing across all sectors, and will continue to be a crucial gathering for the global travel and tourism industry. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. Arabian Travel Week is a week-long festival of events from 28 April to 4 May, alongside Arabian Travel Market 2025. Providing a renewed focus for the Middle East's travel and tourism sector, it includes Start-Up Competition, Influencers' Event, GBTA Business Travel Forums, and ATM Travel Tech. The event also features ATM Buyer Networking and a series of country forums. About RX: RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. About RELX: RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 36,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. *Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at World Travel Market (WTM) Portfolio comprises leading travel events and online portals across four continents. The events are Arabian Travel Market, WTM London, WTM Latin America and WTM Africa. WTM London is the world's most influential travel & tourism event for the global travel community. The show is the ultimate destination for those seeking a macro view of the travel industry and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping it. WTM London is where influential travel leaders, buyers and high-profile travel companies gather to exchange ideas, drive innovation, and accelerate business outcomes. WTM Latin America is held annually in São Paulo and attracts more than 29,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers a qualified content combined with networking and business opportunities. In its most recent edition, in 2024, WTM Latin America maintained its focus on the effective generation of business and managed to secure the early scheduling of more than six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents, and exhibitors. WTM Latin America contents are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. WTM Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2022, WTM Africa facilitated more than 7 thousand unique pre-scheduled appointments, an increase of more than 7% compared to 2019 and welcomed more than 6 thousand visitors (unaudited), the same number as in 2019. About ATW Connect: Africa Travel Week's digital arm, is a virtual hub packed to the seams with interesting content, industry news and insights, and the opportunity to hear from experts on a variety of topics in our new monthly webinar series. All with the aim to keep all of us in the travel and tourism industry connected. ATW Connect focuses on inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel and the MICE/business travel sector as well as travel technology. WTM Global Hub, is the WTM Portfolio online portal created to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world. The resource hub offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. WTM Portfolio is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub.
Daily Tribune
28-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
ATM 2025 opens tomorrow, uniting travel professionals from over 166 countries
AI adoption On the opening day of ATM, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr and a globally renowned speaker in AI and Google's first Chief Decision Scientist, will lead an insightful session on the Future Stage, entitled 'AI adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy', she will explore why organizations struggle with AI adoption, identify the biggest challenges in the field, and discuss the implications of AI for the future. ATM Travel Tech will house the new Start-Up and Innovation Zone, which will showcase the next wave of travel pioneers and feature an immersive VR experience that promises to provide visitors with a new perspective on the possibilities within the industry. For the fourth consecutive year, ATM will host the Start-Up Pitch Battle, spotlighting the most innovative minds in the Middle East. A significant highlight of ATM 2025 is the launch of IBTM@ ATM, a dedicated zone to connect business event buyers with a wide range of exhibitors, including venues and hotels, convention bureaus, tourism boards, airlines and more. More than a networking event, the renowned ATM Conference will deliver the latest industry insights from over 200 experts across three content stages - the Global Stage, the Future Stage, and the Business Events Stage.
