14 September 2026
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 opens at Dubai World Trade Centre on Monday 14 September and runs until Thursday 17 September, with more than 55,000 participants from the global travel and tourism industry expected, according to Emirates 24|7. The 33rd edition, organised by RX under the theme “Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology”, sees the debut of ATM Travel Tech, a dedicated co-located show with more than 180 exhibitors from 30 countries across two halls. The show opens after Dubai’s third consecutive record year: 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, up 5% from 18.72 million in 2024, average hotel occupancy of 80.7% and an inventory of 154,264 hotel rooms across 827 establishments, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
ATM 2026 at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition | 33rd |
| Dates | 14 to 17 September 2026 |
| Venue | Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) |
| Organiser | RX (RX Global) |
| Theme | Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology |
| Expected participants | More than 55,000 |
| ATM Travel Tech (debut as a co-located show) | More than 180 exhibitors from 30 countries, two halls |
| Strategic partners named by RX | Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, IHG, Al Rais Travel |
| Original dates | 4 to 7 May 2026, then 17 to 20 August 2026 |
Why the show is in September this year
ATM usually takes place in April or May, and the 2026 edition was originally scheduled for 4 to 7 May. In March, RX moved it to 17 to 20 August, citing the need to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of customers, partners and colleagues. On 21 May 2026 the organiser confirmed the final dates of 14 to 17 September, following consultation with exhibitors and industry stakeholders. Gulf News reported at the time that several concerts, exhibitions and industry gatherings in the UAE had been postponed or rescheduled this year as regional tensions affected flights, logistics and travel plans across the Gulf.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director for the UAE at RX Global, said the September dates were chosen so that exhibitors, buyers and visitors from around the world could maximise their participation, and thanked Dubai World Trade Centre, DET, IHG and Al Rais Travel for their support in making the revised dates possible. On the eve of the opening she described this year as particularly significant, pointing to the debut of ATM Travel Tech, an expanded focus on innovation and a conference programme built around the trends shaping global tourism.
What is on the programme
The conference runs across the Global Stage, the Future Stage and the Experience Hub, with sessions on destination resilience, traveller experience, aviation innovation, digital transformation and sustainable long-term growth.
- Global Stage. Opens with a Ministerial Debate titled Building A Resilient Industry Through Collaboration, focused on traveller confidence, the global position of GCC tourism and industry resilience. Speakers include Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary General of UN Tourism, and European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
- Future Stage. Located in the Tech and Innovation Zone and opened by Dr Marwan Alzarouni, CEO, AI at DET, with a session on the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping travel. Representatives of Sabre, Trip.com, Tripadvisor, Wego, MakeMyTrip, RateGain and Visa join discussions on agentic AI, online travel agencies, investment and consolidation, digital discovery and the travel supply chain.
- Research. Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, presents the ATM Annual Trends Report on Middle East momentum and market shifts. Euromonitor, Dragon Trail and Videc are among the research and strategy firms named as contributors.
- ATM Travel Tech. The co-located show brings more than 180 technology exhibitors from 30 countries into two halls, next to the destination, airline and hotel stands of the main exhibition.
According to ATM data cited by Emirates 24|7, the value of the Middle East tourism industry is expected to double by 2030, driven by expanding air connectivity and continued investment in hotels, tourism infrastructure and new destinations. That projection comes from the event organiser, not from a government plan.
The numbers behind Dubai’s record year
The show is set against DET’s full-year data for 2025, published in February 2026. These are the visitor and hospitality figures the department reported.
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| International overnight visitors | 19.59 million | 18.72 million |
| Average hotel occupancy | 80.7% | 78.2% |
| Occupied room nights | 44.85 million | 43.03 million |
| Average daily rate (ADR) | AED 579 | AED 538 |
| Revenue per available room (RevPAR) | AED 467 | AED 421 |
| Average length of stay | 3.7 nights | not stated |
| Hotel inventory at the end of December | 154,264 rooms in 827 establishments | not stated |
December 2025 was the first month in which Dubai received more than 2 million international visitors: 2.04 million, up 6% year on year, above the previous monthly record of 1.94 million set in January 2025. RevPAR grew 11% over the year, and most of that growth came from rate: ADR rose 8%, while occupancy added 2.5 percentage points.
By source market, Western Europe remained the largest with 4.1 million visitors, or 21%, up from 3.74 million in 2024. The GCC and the wider MENA region together accounted for 26%, with 2.99 million and 2.17 million arrivals. CIS and Eastern Europe and South Asia delivered 2.89 million visitors each, 15% apiece, followed by North East and South East Asia with 1.85 million, the Americas with 1.40 million, Africa with 897,000 and Australasia with 401,000.
Tourism is one of the pillars of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy by 2033 and place Dubai among the top three tourism destinations in the world.
What the opening does not change
- ATM is a trade exhibition and conference. The pre-opening announcements contain no new visa, licensing, tax or fee rule, and company registration procedures stay the same.
- More than 55,000 participants is a forecast published before the show, not an attendance result.
- The pre-opening announcements for the 2026 edition do not include a figure for the value of deals.
- The hotel and visitor figures above are DET data for the full year 2025, not results for 2026.
What this means for a business in the UAE
For most companies ATM is context rather than instruction, but the data behind it is practical for anyone working in travel, hospitality or services sold to visitors.
First, the hotel metrics give a working benchmark. Occupancy of 80.7%, an ADR of AED 579, RevPAR of AED 467 and an average stay of 3.7 nights in 2025 are the market figures against which operators of hotel apartments, holiday homes, tours and visitor services in Dubai can compare their own performance and pricing.
Second, the licensing route decides who can sell into this demand. In Dubai, travel agencies, tour operators and holiday home operators work under approvals from the Department of Economy and Tourism in addition to the trade licence, and the licensed activity has to match the tourism service actually sold. Choosing the activity and the jurisdiction correctly at company registration avoids a licence amendment later. Our guide to company formation in the UAE explains the process step by step.
Third, the people side. Hospitality and travel businesses run on staff, and every hire needs a work permit and a residence visa: through MOHRE for a mainland company or through the free zone authority for a free zone company, followed by the medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID. On the wider market, see our reports on Dubai hotel rates during the September 2026 exhibition season, the DWTC event calendar for the fourth quarter of 2026 and the joint GCC tourism plan approved in Manama.
How Atlant Capital can help
Our work is the procedural side of entering or expanding in this market. We handle company formation on the mainland and in the free zones for travel, hospitality and travel technology businesses, including the choice of activity and jurisdiction and the additional approvals the activity requires. We support corporate and personal bank account opening and arrange employment and residence visas for owners, staff and families. Accounting, audit, VAT and corporate tax filings are handled by licensed accounting firms from our partner network. We do not sell exhibition packages and we do not broker hotel deals.
Conclusion
ATM 2026 opens more than four months after its original May dates, with ATM Travel Tech making its debut as a dedicated co-located show of more than 180 exhibitors from 30 countries and a programme that puts AI, distribution and resilience next to the traditional destination stands. The context figures are DET’s 2025 data: 19.59 million international visitors, 80.7% occupancy, an ADR of AED 579 and 154,264 hotel rooms. Procedurally nothing changes for a UAE business this week. What the numbers confirm is that Dubai visitor numbers have set records three years in a row, and the decisions that allow a company to serve that demand are taken at licensing and hiring.
Source: Emirates 24|7, Dubai Media Office, RX.
FAQ
When and where is Arabian Travel Market 2026 held?
Arabian Travel Market 2026, the 33rd edition of the show, takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 14 to 17 September 2026. It was originally scheduled for 4 to 7 May 2026 and then moved to 17 to 20 August, and in May 2026 the organiser RX confirmed the September dates after consultation with exhibitors and industry partners.
How many people are expected at ATM 2026?
More than 55,000 participants from the global travel and tourism industry are expected, according to Emirates 24|7. The figure is a forecast published before the opening, not a final attendance count. The new co-located ATM Travel Tech show adds more than 180 exhibitors from 30 countries across two halls.
How many international tourists visited Dubai in 2025?
Dubai received 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, up 5% from 18.72 million in 2024 and a third consecutive record year, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Average hotel occupancy was 80.7%, the average daily rate AED 579 and RevPAR AED 467, with 154,264 hotel rooms across 827 establishments at the end of December.
Does ATM 2026 change any rules for companies in the UAE?
No. Arabian Travel Market is a trade exhibition and conference, and its opening brings no new visa, licensing, tax or fee requirements. Travel agencies, tour operators and holiday home operators in Dubai continue to work under approvals from the Department of Economy and Tourism in addition to their trade licence.
