The 33rd edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) opened today at Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing destinations, tourism authorities, airlines, hospitality brands, technology companies and buyers together for four days of business, networking and knowledge exchange. 

Running from 14 to 17 September under the theme Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology, ATM 2026 will examine the forces reshaping global tourism, from artificial intelligence and digital transformation to changing traveller expectations, destination resilience, smart mobility and long-term sustainable growth. 

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX Global, said ahead of the opening: “I’m delighted to be opening the doors to Arabian Travel Market 2026 tomorrow and welcoming the global travel and tourism industry back to Dubai.” 

This edition marks the debut of ATM Travel Tech as a dedicated co-located show, with more than 180 exhibitors from 30 countries across two halls, anchored by an 850sqm Tech & Innovation Hub covering artificial intelligence, VR and AR, robotics, fintech and green technologies. The Global Stage opens with the Ministerial Debate: Building A Resilient Industry Through Collaboration, with speakers including H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and H.E. Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary General, UN Tourism. ATM 2026 also introduces the show’s refreshed brand identity. 

Among the destinations exhibiting is Sri Lanka, whose national stand brings together more than 55 companies spanning destination management companies, hotel and resort groups, boutique and villa operators, and the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines. The delegation is in Dubai to meet Gulf buyers, tour operators and travel trade partners across the four days, and to strengthen the island’s positioning with both the regional source market and the long-haul traffic routing through Gulf hubs. 

Sri Lanka will be represented at the official ATM press conference by Chamila Jayarathna Deputy Managing Director of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, and Alexi Gunasekera Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai.

Alexi Gunasekera Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai, added: “The relationship between Sri Lanka and the UAE continues to deepen across tourism, trade and investment. ATM gives us a platform to convert that relationship into commercial outcomes, and the strength of this year’s delegation shows the appetite from the Sri Lankan private sector to do exactly that.” 

The Gulf is central to Sri Lanka’s inbound outlook on two fronts: as a direct source market, and as the transit corridor for long-haul arrivals. Sri Lanka’s tourism authority has identified Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi as important transit points for inbound visitors. 

Connectivity matters commercially. Arrivals fell 19.7% year on year in March 2026, to 183,979, as regional airspace disruption affected routings through Gulf hubs, a reminder of how closely Sri Lanka’s performance tracks Middle East aviation capacity. 

Year to date, Sri Lanka recorded more than 1.51 million international arrivals between 1 January and 27 August 2026, marginally behind the 1.54 million logged over the same period in 2025, against a full-year target of 2.7 million. India remains the largest source market, followed by the United Kingdom, China, Australia and the Netherlands. With the fourth quarter representing Sri Lanka’s peak season, ATM falls at a commercially significant point in the calendar.