Arabian Travel Market 2026 wrapped up in Dubai with new developments across aviation, hospitality, rail and travel technology, including the launch of the UAE’s first unified tourism brand and new tools designed to change how travellers plan their trips.
The four-day event ran from 14 to 17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing tourism authorities, airlines, hotels, technology companies and other travel businesses together from markets including the UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, the UK, China and the US.
The next Arabian Travel Market will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 3 to 6 May 2027.
What was announced at ATM 2026?
One of the major announcements was Visit UAE, a new national tourism brand intended to present the seven emirates as one destination.
The UAE Grand Tour was also unveiled. The online platform is designed to allow visitors to plan a continuous journey through all seven emirates.
For travellers, the initiatives point to a more unified way of discovering and planning trips across the UAE, although the announcement did not provide details on specific tour packages or pricing.
New UAE air and rail travel plans
Etihad Airways and Etihad Rail signed an agreement to explore an integrated air-and-rail travel experience in the UAE.
The proposed partnership aims to make it easier for visitors and residents to connect with destinations across the country, although specific routes, launch dates and ticket details have not yet been announced.
Emirates also signed 11 memoranda of understanding during the event covering areas including technology, marketing, passenger experience and travel products.
AI is becoming part of travel planning
Travel technology was another major focus at ATM 2026.
Mastercard and Trip.com showcased TripGenie, an AI-powered travel agent developed with Network International. The platform is designed to assist consumers with searching, planning and paying for travel.
The event also featured a dedicated ATM Travel Tech show, with organisers saying exhibition space dedicated to technology doubled this year.
More hotels planned across the region
Hotel operator Rotana announced a pipeline of 40 hotels with more than 8,300 rooms under development. Ten of those projects are in Saudi Arabia.
The announcement comes as the wider region continues to attract investment in tourism and hospitality, although the ATM announcement did not provide opening dates for the individual properties.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
