Travel industry leaders and tourism stakeholders expressed confidence in the UAE’s tourism sector during the Engage by Elevate online 2026 summit, highlighting continued international demand and expectations for growth in the coming months.
The hybrid event, organised by Elevate World from Dubai, brought together more than 100 international tour operators and over 200 hotels, resorts, attractions and destination partners from key source markets, including the UK, Europe and Russia. More than 1,500 pre-arranged business meetings were held during the event.
Tourism outlook
Opening the summit, Samir Hamadeh, Founder and CEO of Elevate World, said the UAE had demonstrated adaptability during challenging global periods and remained well positioned within the international tourism market.
“The outlook for the UAE tourism sector is overwhelmingly positive,” Hamadeh stated. “The destination continues to adapt and reinforce its position as a global leader with an unmatched offering.”
During the event, Elevate World also introduced Yara AI, an artificial intelligence platform designed to support tour operators, hotels and other tourism businesses.
Industry plans
Representatives from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Miral and the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority shared updates on tourism initiatives and plans aimed at attracting visitors during the final quarter of 2026.
Officials from Wynn Al Marjan Island provided an update on construction progress and preparations ahead of the project’s opening. The development is being delivered in collaboration with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Elevate World to strengthen international trade engagement.
Miral and Elevate World also announced a distribution partnership intended to expand global access to Yas Island’s entertainment and hospitality offerings.
Travel demand
Panel discussions featuring major UK and European travel companies pointed to continued interest in the UAE market.
Paul Truss, Head of Product at Virgin Atlantic Holidays, commented: “Engage by Elevate” was a genuinely impressive event and a valuable platform for the kind of open, honest dialogue that this industry needs right now. The Middle East holds a special place in the Virgin Atlantic Holidays portfolio and our commitment to the region is unwavering. What Engage demonstrated is that the UK trade is not just watching from the sidelines. We are actively engaged, we are planning, and we will be ready to move at pace when the market reopens. I’m in no doubt that the region will come back strongly and, when it does, Virgin Atlantic Holidays is ready to support that recovery, and future growth.”
Mark White, Head of Contracting Long Haul/North Africa at On the Beach, shared: “It was great to be part of the panel session at Engage by Elevate and to speak directly to the people on the ground in the region. We know that the demand from UK customers is still there. The appetite for the Middle East has not gone away and On the Beach remains fully committed to the destination. We genuinely believe there is significant pent-up demand waiting to be released and once there is greater clarity on the road ahead, we expect that to move quickly. Today’s session gave everyone a much clearer picture of what recovery looks like from a UK perspective and events like Engage by Elevate are so important because they keep those lines of communication open at exactly the moment when they matter most.”
MICE sector
The second day of the summit focused on business tourism and the MICE sector. Informa highlighted positive market sentiment and strong registration levels for upcoming trade events, including Middle East Energy 2026, reflecting continued demand for in-person business engagement in the UAE.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
