# ATM 2026 puts Gulf tourism resilience in the spotlight

> At the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, tourism officials discussed preparation and cooperation as foundations of Gulf tourism resilience.

- **Section:** agora
- **Published:** 2026-09-17
- **Publisher:** Voyage (https://thevoyage.gr)
- **Type:** our own summary of someone else’s reporting
- **Source:** TravelDailyNews Greece — https://www.traveldailynews.gr/proorismoi/to-mystiko-tis-anthektikotitas-toy-toyrismoy-ston-kolpo-sto-epikentro-tis-atm-2026/

On the first day of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 in Dubai, government officials and international organisation representatives highlighted preparation, multilateral cooperation and crisis response planning as key factors underpinning tourism resilience in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries amid geopolitical challenges.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, delivered opening remarks. Al Nuwais said that "countries that manage crises best are those that prepare before they happen," building relationships and trust early on.

A ministerial discussion also included Fatima Jaafar Al Sairafi, Bahrain's Minister of Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, and Abdulaziz Akkulov, chairman of Uzbekistan's Tourism Committee. Tzitzikostas said "the European Union stands by its friends, allies and partners," describing the UAE and Gulf countries as partners for the EU.

Al Sairafi noted that tourism accounts for more than 11% of GDP in Gulf countries, compared with a global average of around 10%. Akkulov referred to Uzbekistan's cooperation with Azerbaijan and UN Tourism.

Now in its 33rd edition, ATM 2026 is themed "Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology," examining the role of artificial intelligence and digital transformation in the future of tourism.

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This summary was written by Voyage based on reporting by TravelDailyNews Greece. The full article is at https://www.traveldailynews.gr/proorismoi/to-mystiko-tis-anthektikotitas-toy-toyrismoy-ston-kolpo-sto-epikentro-tis-atm-2026/. Canonical URL of this page: https://thevoyage.gr/en/a/atm-2026-puts-gulf-tourism-resilience-in-the-spotlight