The Arabian Travel Market 2026, currently underway at the Dubai World Trade Centre, was attended by tourism officials, airlines, hotels, and global technology companies. The event demonstrated the tourism industry's increasing focus on two key areas: artificial intelligence (AI) and China's growing appeal as a tourist destination.
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The four-day event, which ran until attracted more than 2,800 exhibitors and 55,000 tourism professionals. The exhibition area combined AI, robotics, and digital payments alongside traditional tourism offerings, reflecting the growing role of technology in the sector.
Marwan Alzarouni, CEO of AI at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism , said that travelers are increasingly using AI for inspiration, research, and recommendations. Therefore, destinations need to ensure that tourism information is accurate and easily accessible to AI systems.
"Traditional search rankings are no longer enough," he said, adding that AI should be integrated across destinations, airlines, hotels, and government agencies, rather than implemented in siloed applications.
Irshad Ali, a software developer at UAE-based Techno Heaven Consultancy, said the company has increased investment in AI services for hotels, travel agents, and airlines across the Middle East.
He believes there is still significant room for collaboration between the tourism and technology sectors, with significant market potential in the future.
Siddharth Sudhakar, general manager for the Middle East and North Africa at China-based Trip.com, said that consumers in the Gulf region are highly tech-savvy. He explained that there is a two-way exchange, introducing Middle Eastern tourism experiences to Chinese consumers while simultaneously bringing Chinese AI and technology innovations to the Middle East.
However, Shahab Shayan, an official at the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing under the auspices of DET, cautioned that the AI industry must continue to learn how to implement this technology carefully and on a large scale, while maintaining the human element as a central element in tourism.
People visit the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Sept. 14, 2026. The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, bringing together tourism and industry professionals from around the world to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), emerging technologies, and the future of personalized travel.
