DUBAI, 28th April, 2025 (WAM) -- On the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) today, tourism leaders from the UAE were joined by representatives from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) on the Business Events Stage, to examine how major events and festivals are driving socio-economic growth in the UAE.

Moderated by Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA, the panel featured Ahmed Al-Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, Dubai Economy and Tourism; Mubarak Al Shamsi, Director of Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau, Department of Culture and Tourism; Iyad Rasbey, VP - Destination Tourism Development, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority; and Martin Thomas Boyle, CEO, International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO). Together, they explored howevents are fostering socioeconomic growth and enhancing destination appeal across the Middle East region.

Opening the session, Al-Khaja elaborated on the pivotal role that festivals in Dubai have played in shaping the city's cultural and economic landscape. Notably, he highlighted the Dubai Shopping Festival, which was launched in 1996, as a particularly influential event that not only attracts local residents but also draws tourists from around the world each year.

Commenting on the events strategy for Abu Dhabi, Al Shamsi said: "In recent years, Abu Dhabi has achieved remarkable success in hosting major exhibitions, conferences, and events, delivering clear economic benefits. However, our strategy extends beyond numbers and is focused on creating a long-lasting legacy that aligns with Vision 2030, with a focus on advancing key sectors including healthcare, innovation, sustainability and energy."

According to Rasbey, events have been key to Ras Al Khaimah's rising prominence: "Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) is an important segment and has contributed significantly to our growth. Last year, Ras Al Khaimah achieved 40% growth, with MICE being the fourth largest segment contributing to this.

"It is vital for us to secure events that contribute to our growth and development. Examples of past events include the Global Citizen Forum, which attracted investors and high-net-worth individuals to the Emirate. In terms of tourism growth, hosting the Arab Aviation Summit enabled us to connect Ras Al Khaimah International Airport with 11 cities globally."

Elsewhere today, Fouad Talat, Regional Manager, Booking.com, John Bevan, CEO, dnata Travel Group and Amani O'Neill, Senior Public Policy Manager, Middle East, Airbnb, discussed the microtrends redefining travel. During the engaging session, the speakers covered trends including sleep tourism, dark tourism and coffee tourism, outlining how these trends are impacting global travel behaviours and shaping the way destinations evolve and adapt.

During the discussion, the speakers discussed how tourism providers should adjust their marketing strategies to align with these trends and provided practical applications for incorporating microtrends into long-term planning.

Tomorrow at ATM, the Business Events Stage will host an exclusive networking session where participants will have the opportunity to engage with prominent international and regional associations to foster strategic relationships, unlock collaboration opportunities and exchange high-value business leads.

This week, ATM will showcase 2,800 exhibitors and the event is expected to host 55,000 attendees from around the world. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain insights from over 200 high-profile speakers across more than 70 conference sessions on the Global Stage, Future Stage and the new Business Events Stage and connect with industry professionals from over 161 countries.