Putting finishing touches to ATM
PREMIER TRAVEL EVENT WILL FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY AND MIDSCALE HOTEL SEGMENT
From new technologies to growing demand for mid-scale hotels and responsible tourism, hoteliers will gather at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) to discuss and showcase the latest trends in the travel industry.
The annual travel exhibition kicks off in Dubai today and will come this year against a backdrop of challenges in the hospitality industry where average room rates have been declining.
According to the latest report for property consultancy JLL, hotels in Dubai may continue to see weaker performance during the rest of the year as the impact of the recently-implemented Value-Added Tax kicks in. The decline in rates is also supported by the strong supply of hotels, especially luxury properties, and a slowdown in demand.
In response to such slowdown, hotels are increasingly eyeing opportunities in the mid-market segment, with operators such as Emaar and Jumeirah having announced close to 10 new middlemarket hotels this year alone.
And this is expected to be a key focus at ATM this year, with operators set to discuss their mid-market offerings.
Speaking last week, Olivier Harnisch, chief executive officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said millennials were another reason behind the stronger demand for mid-scale accommodation. He said that growth in the number of millennial travellers was also driving hotel operators and travel companies to focus on creating experience-oriented services.
In terms of travel trends, responsible and sustainable tourism is a growing one that will also be highlighted by exhibitors at ATM. Emaar Hospitality Group’s Harnisch said there has been growth in responsible tourism, which is tourism that minimises negative environmental and social impact.
More and more travellers are now looking at hoteliers that take action to make tourism more sustainable, and are looking to generate greater economic benefits for the local people at destinations they visit.
Another key talking point at ATM this year will be technology.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will host humanoid robot Sophia at ATM as a spokesperson for the future of technology. Sophia is the artificial intelligence-powered robot known who was named the United Nations Development Programme’s Innovation Champion for Asia and the Pacific.
At ATM, Sophia will take part in an onstage interview to discuss the future of innovation and technology in aviation.
Also in aviation, Emirates airline will be unveiling at ATM its new Boeing 777-300ER First Class private suite, and showcase its latest Business Class seat as well its new products.