The 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM 2025) has officially opened its doors in Dubai, setting the stage for one of the largest global gatherings of tourism and hospitality leaders.

The event brings together more than 2,800 exhibitors and over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries. Highlighting its growing international profile, 67% of exhibitors are from overseas markets, while 33% represent the Middle East.

This year’s event, Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity, explores how cross-border, cross-industry and cross-community links shape a more sustainable and inclusive future for global tourism. Discussions and networking sessions across the show floor, including the ATM Conference, will examine the role of connectivity in driving industry evolution.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director for the Middle East at ATM, highlighted the event’s trajectory for record-breaking attendance and exhibitor participation. The gathering in Dubai includes travel professionals from various sectors, including leisure, business events, luxury, and corporate travel.

Reflecting its expansion, ATM 2025 has added two new halls and will feature three dedicated content stages: the Global Stage, the Future Stage, and the Business Events Stage. Curtis also highlighted the launch of IBTM@ATM, a business events zone, and ATM Travel Tech, which focuses on the sector’s technological transformation.

Asia has emerged as the fastest-growing region at this year’s ATM, experiencing a 20% year-on-year increase in exhibitor numbers. Notably, India’s participation has surged by 30%, bolstered by contributions from regional tourism boards and airlines, including Air India.  

International markets account for over 52% of visitor registrations, with visitors from the UAE and GCC countries comprising the remaining 48%. India, Egypt, the UK, Türkiye, and the USA are among the top five international markets represented at ATM 2025.  

Technology remains a major focus at ATM 2025, with the ATM Travel Tech section seeing a 23% rise in new products. It also introduces the Start-Up and Innovation Zone, alongside immersive VR experiences and the return of the Start-Up Pitch Battle for a fourth year.

Further highlights include the Arabia China Tourism (MICE) Forum, spotlighting the growing Chinese outbound market, and sessions on travel microtrends and brand innovation featuring senior executives from Booking.com, dnata Travel Group, Airbnb, Four Seasons, Rotana Hotels, and Sabre Hospitality.

On opening day, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr and former chief decision scientist at Google, will lead a session on “AI adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy,” addressing the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into travel businesses.

Another major addition is IBTM@ATM, a dedicated space to connect business event buyers with exhibitors from venues, hotels, convention bureaus, and tourism boards. The Business Events Stage will feature sessions on leveraging global events and festivals for socio-economic growth, with speakers from ICCA, Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s tourism authorities, and others.