Arabian Travel Market 2027 will focus on experience-led tourism, with culture, gastronomy, wellness, sports and events among the key themes shaping industry discussions. The event will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 3 to 6 May 2027.
Arabian Travel Market (ATM) will examine the growing importance of experience-led travel at its 2027 edition, bringing together tourism destinations, travel companies, hospitality brands and technology providers to explore changing traveller preferences and emerging business opportunities.
The 34th edition of the international travel trade event will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from 3 to 6 May 2027 under the theme Travel Without Boundaries: Shaping Global Travel Through Experience.
Organised by RX, the event will focus on how travellers are increasingly choosing destinations and holidays around personal interests, including cultural discovery, local cuisine, wellness, music, sporting events and other distinctive experiences.
The dates and venue are listed on RX’s official website. The wider programme and market forecasts outlined by the organisers are intended to highlight opportunities for tourism businesses responding to changing consumer expectations.
Four Pillars to Shape the 2027 Programme
ATM 2027 will organise its programme around four themes: Experience Without Boundaries, Opportunity Without Boundaries, Innovation Without Boundaries and Possibility Without Boundaries.
The themes will explore evolving travel motivations, opportunities in emerging source markets, technology-driven services and collaboration across the tourism sector.
For destinations and travel businesses, the focus reflects a shift towards developing products that offer visitors more than traditional sightseeing. Culinary experiences, community-led tourism, wellness retreats, adventure travel and major cultural or sporting events are increasingly important considerations in destination development and marketing.
The programme is expected to bring these subjects to the fore through discussions on the event’s Global Stage and Future Stage, alongside networking sessions and industry roundtables at the Experience Hub.
Travel Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Focus
Technology will remain a central component of the event, with ATM Travel Tech returning as a co-located showcase for companies developing digital products and services for the travel industry.
Artificial intelligence is expected to feature prominently in discussions about travel planning, personalisation and customer service. The programme will also examine how digital tools can complement the expertise of travel advisers, local guides and hosts in creating meaningful visitor experiences.
As travellers increasingly use digital platforms to research, compare and organise trips, tourism businesses face growing pressure to combine convenient technology with reliable information and human interaction.
ATM Travel Tech will provide a platform for businesses to present innovations and explore potential partnerships, while the wider conference programme will address how technology can support the development and delivery of tourism experiences.
Research Points to Growing Interest in Discovery and Local Culture
Figures cited from the ATM Travel Trends Report 2026, produced in association with Tourism Economics, suggest that interest in discovering new destinations and engaging with local communities is increasing.
According to the figures supplied by the organisers, 56% of consumers are more interested in exploring new destinations than they were two years earlier. The proportion rises to 68% among prospective visitors to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA).
The report also indicates that 50% of consumers have become more interested in sampling local food and drink, while 40% express greater interest in meeting local people. Around 30% report increased interest in event-related travel.
These findings point to opportunities for destinations to develop experiences that connect visitors with local food traditions, cultural heritage, communities and special events. However, consumer interest does not necessarily translate directly into bookings, making product quality, accessibility and value important considerations for tourism providers.
International Arrivals Forecast to Increase in 2027
The organisers also cite forecasts projecting international arrivals to grow by 8% worldwide and 17% across the MENASA region in 2027, following travel disruptions in 2026.
The report further projects that worldwide visitor nights, covering domestic and international travel, will exceed 29 billion by 2030, with spending within destinations reaching US$10 trillion.
These figures are forecasts rather than confirmed future outcomes. Actual growth will depend on factors including economic conditions, air connectivity, consumer confidence, geopolitical developments and the ability of destinations to meet changing traveller expectations.
For tourism businesses across the Middle East and neighbouring markets, the projections underline the potential value of investing in experiences that appeal to international visitors while supporting local businesses and communities.
Industry Collaboration to Shape the Visitor Experience
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE at RX Global, said travellers were increasingly considering what a journey would allow them to experience, whether through cultural discovery, personal interests or shared activities.
She said destinations and businesses had an opportunity to understand these motivations and create offerings that give visitors compelling reasons to travel.
Curtis also highlighted the increasingly flexible nature of travel, with journeys combining business and leisure, wellness and adventure, or premium experiences with more affordable options.
ATM 2027 will provide a forum for tourism stakeholders to explore these overlapping categories and identify opportunities for collaboration across destinations, transport providers, accommodation businesses and experience operators.
Dubai to Host Global Tourism Industry
Arabian Travel Market has established itself as a major meeting point for the international travel trade, connecting tourism boards, airlines, hotels, tour operators, travel technology companies and other industry stakeholders.
The 2027 edition is expected to build on this role by examining how experience-led tourism can influence destination strategy, product development and the commercial relationships supporting international travel.
With consumer preferences continuing to evolve, the event’s emphasis on culture, gastronomy, wellness and event-led travel places the visitor experience at the centre of discussions about the sector’s next phase of growth.
