Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024 which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 6th to 9th May, is set to welcome twice the number of Chinese exhibitors and travel professionals, compared with its 2019 show.
According to research by Oxford Economics, outbound travel from China is estimated to almost double this year, compared with 2023 and will only be 22 percent below its peak pre-pandemic numbers of 155 million tourists in 2019, who spent over $250 billion overseas.
Full recovery is expected to materialise in 2025, with the Middle East being the first region globally to recover its Chinese inbound market.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME at Arabian Travel Market, noted expectations for a significant rebound in Chinese outbound tourism, with analysts predicting a potential doubling of visitor numbers in 2024 compared to the previous year. Major destinations in the Middle East, particularly favored for luxury travel, are anticipated to recover faster than elsewhere internationally. This optimism is supported by recent spending data from the 2024 Chinese New Year, indicating a 7 percent increase in overseas transactions compared to 2019. Notable Middle East destinations for Chinese travelers include Dubai, Saudi's AlUla, Egypt, and Jordan, with Dubai alone having welcomed over one million Chinese visitors in 2019.
Chinese participation at ATM 2024 is expected to more than double compared with ATM 2019, with new exhibitors that include private sector companies such as Heytrip International, Jiangsu Intelligence Equipment Co, Flightroutes24 Travel Company Ltd, Feeyo Technology and anticipated destination representation from Macao Government Tourism Office, China Cultural Centre in the UAE and the Hongkong Tourism Board.
In line with this year’s show theme ‘Empowering Innovation: Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship’, other highlights at the 31st edition of ATM include entrepreneurship-focused sessions as well as dedicated sessions for other key source markets such as India and the Americas. As well as showcasing a range of event features based around the theme, informative content will be delivered across the Global Stage and the new Future Stage at ATM 2024, led by respected industry keynote speakers, and thought leaders.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
