- Rescheduled to August 17-20
- Expected participation of 55,000 travel industry professionals
- Over 100 events in the Gulf region have been cancelled
The Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, planned to take place in Dubai, has been rescheduled due to the current conflict in Iran.
The 33rd edition of ATM will now occur from August 17-20, shifting from its original dates of May 4-7, as confirmed by RX, the London-based organizer of the event.
Danielle Curtis, the exhibition director for the Middle East at ATM, stated, “The safety and wellbeing of our customers, partners, and colleagues remains our top priority.”
The ongoing conflict between the US-Israel and Iran has been intensifying, with Iran conducting retaliatory actions aimed at Gulf nations. The UAE’s defense ministry reported on Wednesday morning that its air defense systems were activated in response to missile and drone threats originating from Iran.
ATM has seen an annual growth of 16%, drawing over 55,000 travel industry professionals from 166 different countries.
In addition, the second edition of WTM Spotlight Saudi Arabia, dedicated to enhancing the Gulf nation’s tourism sector, is set for September 8-10 in Riyadh.
Additional Information:
This week, reports highlighted that the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Grands Prix underscores a larger issue confronting Gulf economies, as the situation with Iran interferes with vital aspects of their economic diversification strategies.
According to Northbourne Advisory, the two Formula One races are part of more than 100 events across the Gulf that have been cancelled, postponed, or suspended.
This includes Token2049 Dubai, a cryptocurrency conference that was slated to welcome 15,000 participants next month.
Additionally, many smaller corporate events have been significantly reduced in scale.
