Arabian Travel Market 2026 runs 14-17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre, after being moved twice — from May, then August. It now clashes with IFTM Paris.
Cover image: Dubai World Trade Centre and the surrounding Dubai skyline, venue for Arabian Travel Market — photo by Imre Solt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Arabian Travel Market 2026 runs from 14 to 17 September 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre. If your calendar says May, it is out of date. The show was rescheduled twice in a single cycle: originally set for 4–7 May 2026, then moved to 17–20 August, and finally fixed in September. The venue never changed.
The clash this creates
The September slot puts ATM almost entirely on top of IFTM in Paris, which runs 15–17 September 2026. Suppliers who normally work both now have to choose, or split their teams.
Anyone who built a Gulf roadshow or dealer meet around the original ATM week should re-check those bookings too — travel arranged against the May or August dates is stranded.
Why ATM matters
ATM is the Middle East's flagship travel trade event and the principal marketplace for Gulf inbound and outbound business. Dubai's role as a connecting hub makes it unusually broad for a regional show: carriers, hotel groups, destination boards and DMCs from Europe, Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia all use it to reach Gulf buyers and each other.
For Indian and Southeast Asian operators specifically, it is often the most efficient place to meet Gulf outbound agents, a market that sends significant volume to both regions.
Practical notes
- Mid-September in Dubai is still very hot, though past the summer peak — the venue and hotels are air-conditioned, but plan transfers rather than walking.
- Dubai World Trade Centre is centrally located and well served by the metro.
- Confirm your dates on the organiser's own site. Given two changes in one cycle, third-party calendars are unreliable for this show in particular.
What the reschedule signals
Two date changes in one cycle is unusual for a show of ATM's standing, and it has practical consequences beyond diaries. Exhibitors who committed to stand space against May dates have carried that cost through two revisions, and buyers who arranged regional travel around the original week have had to rebuild it twice.
The lesson for planning is straightforward: for this show in particular, confirm against the organiser before committing to non-refundable travel, and re-confirm closer to the date.
The Gulf as a two-way market
ATM is often described as a Gulf inbound show, which undersells it. The Gulf is simultaneously a major source market — large expatriate populations travelling to South and Southeast Asia, and high-spending outbound leisure travellers — and a destination selling itself to the world.
Both conversations happen in the same hall, which is why the exhibitor list spans destination boards from every continent alongside regional hotel groups and carriers.
If you can only do one Gulf event
ATM is the default choice for travel trade. The region's calendar also includes hospitality investment and MICE-specific events, but for destination marketing and tour operator contracting, ATM carries the buyer volume.
Frequently asked questions
When is Arabian Travel Market 2026?
14-17 September 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre. It was originally scheduled for 4-7 May 2026, then moved to 17-20 August, before settling on September.
Why did ATM 2026 change dates?
The show was rescheduled twice within the cycle. The venue, Dubai World Trade Centre, remained the same throughout; only the calendar changed.
Does ATM 2026 clash with other shows?
Yes. It overlaps almost entirely with IFTM in Paris, which runs 15-17 September 2026.
Part of our 2026–2027 travel trade show calendar, which carries verified dates for 40+ shows and roadshows worldwide.
