Dubai – The 30th Arabian Travel Market (ATM) exhibition in Dubai is scheduled to launch May 1st, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), with travel professionals and policymakers attending from all over the world to discuss current and future efforts to reduce the travel sector’s carbon print.
The 4-day event, May 1-4, will feature more than 150 speakers, including industry pioneers and ministers from the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Spain, among others.
The exhibition, entitled “Working Towards Net Zero”, focuses on sustainable innovations, sharing knowledge and best practices, and exploring opportunities and challenges facing the travel industry’s journey to achieve “Net Zero”.
Net zero means that the amount of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere from a specific activity should be equivalent to the amount removed from the atmosphere. Hence, achieving net zero, as the difference between the amount produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
This can be achieved by reducing emissions while actively removing emissions from the atmosphere, using carbon capture and storage technologies for example, or afforestation.
Every year, the exhibition issues awards to exhibitors under various categories.
This year, to reinforce the exhibition’s environmental message and theme, a sustainability category was introduced to ATM’s annual exhibitor awards for the first time, according to an ATM press release that was obtained by Eye on Business.
Exhibitors will be recognised for their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and the extent to which they have taken into consideration the impact of their stands and booths.
The expected turnout for this year’s exhibition will exceed last year’s by 27%, as representation from the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa increased by 15.1%, 30.9%, 18.6% and 44.7%, respectively.
Meanwhile, representation from the travel tech and hotels sectors also increased, by 57.9% and 23.5%.
According to Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, the increase in participation shows that sector professionals and policymakers around the world are actually taking sustainability and environmental issues seriously.
On the other hand, demand is also rising for leisure and business travel across the region and beyond, he added.
“We are delighted that such a diverse selection of ministerial and industry speakers will be joining us for the 30th edition of ATM 2023,” Curtis said.
“We look forward to learning how they are working to achieve net zero within their respective tourism markets, as our industry comes together to showcase the cutting-edge innovations and solutions that are driving the next generation of sustainable travel in the Middle East and beyond.”
In total, ATM 2023 will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors and 34,000 attendees from over 150 countries.
ATM will also feature a sustainability playbook that provides participants with a framework on mitigating environmental impact and an operational guide for ATM’s efforts to achieve net zero by 2030.
To supplement ATM 2023’s theme, the Global Stage will host a range of sessions focused on pivotal industry issues such as hotels and hospitality, aviation and transport, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) and business travel, investment, responsible tourism, workforce diversification, and emerging sectors such as attractions, cruises, wellness and cultural tourism.
This year’s event will also see the return of the ATM Travel Tech Stage, which will showcase how cutting-edge innovations including artificial intelligence, the metaverse, cryptocurrency and big data are driving environmentally responsible tourism.
In the meantime, ATM’s brand-new Sustainability Hub, will feature sessions dedicated to the latest sustainable travel trends and innovations.
It will also feature the ATM 2023 Start-up Competition. An event hosted by conference partner Plug and Play, in which entrepreneurs go head-to-head in “Sustainable Tech Pitch Battles”.
This year’s edition of ATM also aims explore how innovative sustainable travel trends are likely to evolve, highlighting opportunities for growth in various key vertical sectors. Regional experts are also expected to engage in the exploration of a sustainable future ahead of the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), scheduled to take place in November this year, at Expo City Dubai.
