Dubai is looking to rebuild tourism momentum through stronger air connectivity, global partnerships, and long-term investment as ATM 2026 brings the travel industry back to the city.
Dubai is looking to rebuild tourism momentum through stronger air connectivity, international partnerships, and long-term investment as the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 returns to the city next week.
The emirate enters the event after a record-breaking 2025, when Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international overnight visitors, up 5% from 2024. December was particularly strong, with the city recording more than 2 million visitors in a single month for the first time.
But the regional conflict and resulting disruption to air travel have affected visitor flows in 2026, making the tourism industry’s recovery a key focus ahead of ATM.
Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said Dubai remains confident about its long-term trajectory despite the short-term disruption.
“The trajectory is moving in the right direction,” Kazim said during a press conference ahead of ATM 2026.
Dubai Tourism Faces a Temporary Setback
Kazim acknowledged that the current environment has affected international travel, particularly through changes in flight schedules and travel advisories.
He said Dubai has been working with federal and local authorities, airlines and industry partners to restore connectivity and ensure that visitors can continue reaching the destination.
The strategy builds on the diversified tourism model Dubai has developed over the past decade, with the emirate targeting leisure travellers, business visitors, events, investors and long-stay guests rather than depending on a single source of demand.
That diversification helped Dubai achieve another record year in 2025, with Western Europe remaining its largest source region at 4.1 million visitors, followed by the CIS and Eastern Europe and South Asia, each contributing about 2.89 million visitors.
ATM 2026 Returns at an Important Time
Against that backdrop, ATM 2026, scheduled for September 14 to 17 at Dubai World Trade Centre, takes on added significance for Dubai and the wider travel industry.
The event was moved from its original dates earlier in the year following consultation with exhibitors and industry stakeholders, with the September edition intended to support stronger participation from international tourism companies and buyers.
More than 80 destination participants are expected to take part, while more than 300 hosted buyers are expected to come to Dubai to experience the destination and conduct business, according to Kazim.
The event will bring together tourism boards, hotels, airlines, travel companies, destinations and buyers from across the international market.
For Dubai, the timing makes ATM more than an annual industry gathering. It provides an opportunity to rebuild relationships, discuss new routes and restore confidence among travel companies that may have adjusted plans because of the recent disruption.
Travel 2040 Puts Technology at the Centre
This year’s ATM is being held under the theme “Travel 2040: Providing New Frontiers through Innovation and Technology”, with artificial intelligence, automation, fintech, immersive technology and smart mobility expected to feature heavily.
A dedicated ATM Travel Tech section will focus on technologies reshaping travel and tourism, from AI and robotics to digital payments and smart mobility.
The technology focus comes as airlines, airports, hotels and destination operators increasingly use digital tools to manage demand, personalise services and improve the efficiency of travel operations.
For Dubai, which has positioned itself as a technology-driven global city, the shift towards smarter tourism infrastructure fits closely with its broader economic strategy.
Dubai Wants Visitors to Become Repeat Travellers
Kazim’s approach also reflects a wider shift in how Dubai views tourism.
The emirate increasingly sees visitors not simply as short-term tourists but as potential future residents, entrepreneurs, business owners and investors. Kazim has previously described every visitor who experiences Dubai as a potential future resident, business owner or investor.
That means the value of tourism extends beyond hotel stays and spending during a holiday.
Business events and conferences, in particular, can introduce Dubai to people who may later return for leisure, invest in property, establish companies or relocate.
“ATM being a travel trade industry, it sits in that sweet spot for us,” Kazim said.
He added that business tourism could help introduce the destination to first-time visitors who later return for leisure.
Air Connectivity Remains Critical
The recovery of Dubai tourism is closely linked to the recovery of aviation.
Dubai International Airport handled a record 95.2 million passengers in 2025, reinforcing its position as the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic.
However, DXB handled 31.5 million passengers in the first half of 2026, a 31.3% year-on-year decline, as regional airspace disruption and airline suspensions affected traffic.
By the end of June, almost 50 international airlines were operating at DXB, connecting Dubai with 217 destinations in 99 countries, with capacity gradually recovering.
That recovery is particularly important for tourism because Dubai’s global accessibility is one of the foundations of its destination strategy.
Dubai Is Counting on More Than Regional Demand
Kazim said DCTCM remains optimistic about international markets and is continuing to work with airlines and tourism partners beyond the immediate region.
That matters because Dubai’s visitor base is highly diversified. In 2025, the GCC and MENA together accounted for 26% of visitors, while Western Europe contributed 21%, South Asia 15,% and the CIS and Eastern Europe another 15%.
This breadth gives Dubai more room to redirect marketing and partnership efforts as conditions change in individual markets.
It also supports the emirate’s strategy of treating tourism as part of a broader economic ecosystem rather than an isolated sector.
Hotels Are Being Pushed Towards Experiences
Haitham Mattar, Managing Director for India, Middle East and Africa at IHG Hotels and Resorts, said the region’s tourism industry had demonstrated resilience during previous shocks, including the global financial crisis and Covid-19 pandemic.
He said investors continue to see opportunities in markets including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, while warning that future growth should not simply mean adding more hotel rooms.
The emphasis, he said, should increasingly be on quality and experiences.
That approach fits Dubai’s evolution from a destination built heavily around new hotel capacity towards one offering increasingly sophisticated entertainment, dining, wellness, retail, business and cultural experiences.
2025 Gives Dubai a Strong Starting Point
Despite the disruption in 2026, Dubai entered the year from a position of considerable strength.
The emirate’s 19.59 million visitors in 2025 marked its third consecutive record-breaking year. December’s 2.04 million visitors also demonstrated the depth of underlying demand.
Dubai’s hotel sector has expanded alongside that demand. By the end of 2025, the city had 154,264 hotel rooms across 827 establishments, according to DET.
The challenge now is to ensure that the temporary disruption does not become a longer-term drag on visitor confidence, airline capacity or investment.
Confidence Remains Despite the Disruption
The message coming from Dubai’s tourism industry is therefore one of cautious confidence.
The recent conflict has clearly affected travel flows, but the emirate’s diversified source markets, extensive air connectivity and strong tourism infrastructure provide a foundation for recovery.
ATM 202allows Dubaity to reconnect the industry at precisely the moment when airlines, hotels, tour operators and destination marketers need to rebuild relationships and plan for the next travel cycle.
Kazim’s assessment is ultimately straightforward: the disruption is a setback, not a change in Dubai’s long-term tourism trajectory.
“Dubai will come back,” he said.
With ATM returning to Dubai from September 14 to 17, the city will now be looking to turn that confidence into new airline links, stronger partnerships and renewed demand from travellers around the world.
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Source: Gulf News
Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, speaks at a press conference ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai. Alongside him is Haitham Mattar, Managing Director, India, Middle East and Africa, IHG Hotels and Resorts.
Ahmad Alotbi
