DUBAI: Finally some good news regarding travel sector recovery has started arriving. According to a recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Reed Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021, the amount of money that Middle East travelers spend on international leisure travel, will begin to exceed 2019 pre-COVID levels, in as little as three years, i.e. by the year 2024. A new dawn for travel and tourism is on the horizon, and this is supported by forecast analysis carried out by Tourism Economics (TE).
According to the findings of the survey for ATM 2021, domestic & short-haul travel will lead the recovery. 47% of total 2019 ME travel spend went on international leisure trips, whereas 37% of the total travel budget was spent on domestic leisure travel in 2019, and it is hoped that it will be exceeded this year itself.
Vaccine rollout, pent-up demand supported by high consumer savings, employment recovery, and travel restrictions will motivate the return to the global economic growth of 5.6% in 2021.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, expressed her happiness, saying, “This is very encouraging. The spending in 2020 on international leisure travel was only 20% of the amount spent a year earlier. However, this year, spending compared with 2019, will recover to around 50%. It will increase to 75% in 2022 and 95% in 2023, until 2024, when spending in this segment will exceed pre-COVID levels by up to 10%.”
“Leisure travel will lead the recovery, initially through domestic and short-haul travel, which peaked by as much as 85% of all overnight arrivals in the Middle East during 2020. This will gradually return to normal over the next four years at around 70%, as international travel becomes more popular and takes greater market share,” added Curtis.
Arabian Travel Market
Arabian Travel Market, now in its 28th year, will take place in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) 16-19 May 2021.ATM continues to be the focal point for the Middle East’s resilient and ever-changing travel and tourism landscape and prides itself on being the hub of all travel and tourism ideas, providing a platform to discuss insights on the ever-changing industry, share innovations and unlock endless business opportunities. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week.
A whole host of exhibitors from the Middle East will be participating at ATM this year, including the tourism boards from the UAE’s emirates with major exhibits from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, and Fujairah along with international participation. The theme of ATM 2021 will be “A new dawn for travel and tourism.”
A comprehensive program of seminars will explore the inevitable road to recovery by addressing the current state of the industry, examining emerging trends and how innovative technology, sustainability, and engaging with the next generation of global travelers, will drive the industry forward.
ATM 2021’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) as Destination Partner, Emaar Hospitality Group as Official Hotel Partner, and Emirates as Official Airline Partner.
Arabian Travel Week
Arabian Travel Week is a festival of events taking place within and alongside Arabian Travel Market 2021. It includes ATM Virtual, ILTM Arabia, Arrival Dubai, the Travel Agents’ Academy, The ATM Influencers day, the Digital Influencer Speed Networking, and Travel Forward – a new travel tech and hospitality innovation event launching this year. It also features the ATM Buyer Forums, ATM Speed Networking Events as well as The Saudi, India, and China Summits. Providing a renewed focus for the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector, Arabian Travel Week will take place in Dubai from Sunday 16th to Thursday 26th May 2021.
Dubai
Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world to visit with a wide range of precautionary measures in place to ensure the safety of tourists at every stage and touchpoint of their travel journey, from arrival to departure. Dubai’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and safety and its effective citywide management of the pandemic received a strong endorsement from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which gave the city a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp.
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