- Recent figures suggest the luxury tourism industry will reach USD391 billion by 2028
- The Asia-Pacific region is a leading source market for GCC tourism, with ATM showcasing a 27% increase in exhibitors from Asia this year
- The international trade show will feature top luxury hospitality brands, including Mandarin Oriental, One&Only and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Markets,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 19 March 2025:Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is set to highlight the thriving luxury tourism sectorwhen it returns to the Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April to 1 May. Bringing together top-tier hospitality brands, influential industry figures, and innovative travel destinations, the event will showcasethe latest trends and insights that are shaping the high-end travel segment.
According to McKinsey and Company, demand for luxury tourism and hospitality is expected to grow faster than any other industry. This is predominantly due to the rising number of high-net-worth individuals globallyand a growing segment of aspiring luxury travellers willing to allocate larger proportions of their income topremium experiences.
The research suggeststhat luxury tourism and hospitality will reach USD391 billion by 2028, up from USD239 billion in 2023, with Asia gaining significant ground in the market segment. Supporting this trend, data recently issued by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf revealed that GCC states earned USD 110.4 billion in international tourism revenues in 2023. The largest share of tourists came from the Asia-Pacific region (38%), followed by the Middle East (25.1%), Europe (22.9%), Africa (8.8%), and the Americas (4.3%).
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Markets, said: “The increase in inbound tourism from Asia and the growing wealth in this region create a major opportunity for Middle Eastern tourism, especially in the luxury sector. At ATM, Asia is among our fastest-growing markets for exhibitors, boasting a 27% increase in exhibitors from the region this year. National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) from destinations like Japan, Maldives, South Korea, India and Thailand are driving this growth, alongside regional tourist boards such as Rajasthan Tourism, Goa, Phuket, Hong Kong and Jakarta, all contributing to Asia’s expanding presence at ATM 2025 and the growing focus on luxury travel.”
The GCC region is ideally positioned to cater to high-net-worth travellers seekingleading hotelsand exclusive experiences.To meet rising demand, GCC countries are on track to add 400,000 hotel rooms by 2030, following the addition of 35,000 rooms in the last decade.
ATM 2025 will feature some of the world’s top-rated luxury destinations, such as the Maldives and Mauritius, as well as Peru, which will return to ATM after ten years. Visitors will be able to discover the country’s luxury offerings, including glamping in the Ica Desert and the Sacred Valley,luxury Amazon cruises, and train journeys across the Andes, where breathtaking landscapes meet world-class service.
Several prestigious hospitality brands will also be showcased, including Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Jumeirah International, One & Only, Kempinski Hotels, The Address Hotels & Resorts and The Leading Hotels of the World.
Luxury travel is transforming in terms of consumer preferences, withtravellers increasingly prioritising luxury cultural, artistic, and adventure-driven experiences. Hospitality brands worldwide are adapting to meet this demand, while sustainability has become a key focus, particularly in the GCC, where hotels are implementing eco-friendly initiatives to align with the growing preference for responsible, high-end travel.
Improved accessibility is also reshaping luxury travel, with emerging destinations benefitting from improved connectivity and the development of boutique hotels, eco resorts and exclusive retreats. This trend is reflected in the theme for ATM 2025: Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity,” which focuses on how better connectivity enables a more sustainable, inclusive, and globally integrated travel industry.
Last year at ATM, Mastercard unveiledits Affluent Travel Report, which highlighted the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as the leading market for luxury outbound travel, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE emerging as top source markets. Separate research from Mastercardin 2023 suggests thatGCC travellers are among the world’s highest spenders, with Kuwaiti travellers to Paris spending five times more than American tourists.
Curtis commented: “The MENA region continues to set the pace for luxury outbound travel, making it a priority market for high-end travel and tourism providers.ATM 2025 will offer in-depth insights into luxury travel preferences, networking opportunities with key stakeholders, and presentations on emerging destinations. For anyone looking to capitalise on this lucrative market, ATM 2025 is an unmissable event.”
The ATM 2025 Conference Programme will bring together top hospitality executivesand luxury travel experts, who will share insights into the industry’s latest trends. Sessions include Generational Trends influencing Hyper-personalisation in Luxury led by the Department of Culture and Tourism – AbuDhabi, Fairmont and Minor Hotels and Retaining High-Net-Worth Travellers by Redesigning Their Experiencefeaturing speakers from Kempinski, Banyan Tree Holdings, GSIQand Matter of Form.
ATM is the leading global event for the inbound and outbound travel industry in the Middle East and is set to hostover 47,000 attendees this year. Uniting an international community of travel professionals from Leisure, Luxury, Business Events and Corporate Travel, the event generates USD2.5billion in deals annually. For over 30 years, ATM has connected products and destinations from around the world with buyers and travel trade visitors at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2025’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.
The latest ATM news stories are available at https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/.
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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. With over 48,000 attendees and more than 35,000 visitors, including over 2,550 exhibitors and representatives from over 161 countries during last year’s show, ATM remains a pivotal gathering for the global travel and tourism industry. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. #ATMDubai
ATM takes place from 28 April to 1 May 2025, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai
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 the all-New Business Events @ATM focusing on MICE, Start-Up Competition, influencers’ events, GBTA Business Travel Forums, and ATM Travel Tech. It 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. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com.
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 http://www.relx.com/investors
World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises leading travel events and online portals across four continents. The events are:
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.
Next event: 5 to 7 November 2024 at ExCel London.
http://london.wtm.com/
WTM Latin America takes place annually in the city of São Paulo and attracts around 20,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers qualified content together with networking and business opportunities. In this its ninth edition – there have been eight face-to-face events along with a 100% virtual one, which was held in 2021 – WTM Latin America continued to focus on effective business generation, and achieved the advance booking of six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents and exhibitors in 2022.
Next event: 14 to 16 April 2025 – Expo Center Norte, SP, Brazil.
http://latinamerica.wtm.com/
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.
Next event: 9 to 11 April 2025 – Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town http://africa.wtm.com/
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. https://hub.wtm.com/