As Arabian Travel Market (ATM) closed its doors at Dubai World Trade Centre, one message from this year's show stood out: ultra-luxury is now central to the region's travel story. The 33rd edition ran under the theme Travel 2040, with ultra-luxury named as one of four pillars alongside technology, business events and sustainability. For operators serving high-net-worth travellers, the week underlined the growing commercial weight of their sector.
Dubai went into the show with momentum. Figures released on ATM's opening day showed the city welcomed around 869,000 international overnight visitors in August, traditionally one of the quietest months of the year and its strongest month since February when the war in Iran broke out. Hotel occupancy reached 66 per cent, up from 36 per cent in March, taking international visitation to 6.97 million for the first eight months of 2026. That builds on a record 19.59 million visitors in 2025, the city's third record-breaking year in a row.
Over the past two decades, the emirate's tourism and hospitality sector has grown consistently and rapidly while weathering financial crises, a global pandemic and periods of geopolitical uncertainty. Dubai International has ranked as the world's busiest airport for international passengers for 12 consecutive years, giving the city a connectivity advantage few destinations can match. “Dubai has always exhibited a remarkable ability to adapt, whether in response to challenges or new opportunities,” explains Adam McEwan, CEO of Hero Experiences Group. “We have seen that first-hand over more than a decade of operating in the emirate. The market changes, sometimes very quickly, but the businesses that adapt with it are the ones that continue to grow.”
That story was on display at ATM, where this year's show debuted the ATM Ultra Luxury Lounge. The dedicated space brought private jet operators, bespoke tour designers and specialist hospitality brands together with buyers who serve high-net-worth clients. Organisers have positioned it as the start of a multi-year focus on the sector.
The numbers behind luxury experiences are substantial. Fortune Business Insights projects the global luxury travel market will grow from US$2.7 trillion in 2025 to US$4.8 trillion by 2032. Dubai is building to meet it: Knight Frank has previously forecast 17,748 new hotel rooms in the city by 2030, with 60 per cent of them in five-star properties.
For luxury travel providers, growth is being driven in part by affluent travellers seeking meaningful, authentic experiences over generic sightseeing. Hero Experiences, which has operated for more than a decade and is one of Dubai's leading award-winning luxury tour operators, is expanding its offering for travellers in search of an authentic luxury experience.
"The modern luxury traveller wants more than a five-star hotel," McEwan says. "They are looking for experiences that feel immersive, personal and connected to their destination. Whether it is an immersive Hero Balloon journey over stunning scenery or Platinum Heritage's sustainable luxury desert safaris, the interest we are seeing in such experiences remains very strong."
That interest is translating into forward bookings. McEwan notes that the upcoming November period is showing clear signs of a strong rebound, with growing demand ahead of an expectedly busy winter season.
Industry observers point to the emirate's diversified tourism ecosystem as one of its key strengths, and that ecosystem was out in force at ATM. The Dubai stand hosted more than 115 co-exhibitors from the public and private sectors, including hotels, destination management companies and tour operators, while a hosted buyers programme brought more than 300 international trade professionals to the city.
Luxury hospitality, aviation, retail, major events and attractions work in close coordination, helping Dubai maintain momentum through periods of disruption and the historically slower summer months.
"The strength of Dubai's tourism industry comes from the fact that businesses here are constantly evolving," McEwan adds. "Operators understand that standing still is not an option. As with the wider UAE economy, innovation, service quality and guest experience remain at the centre of everything."
The show itself was a marker of that confidence. Originally scheduled for May, ATM moved to August and then to September following consultation with exhibitors, and last week the global travel trade returned in force.
Coinciding with ATM, Emirates shared that it had carried 8.6 million passengers between July and August, with passenger numbers in the second half of August up seven percent on the same period in 2025. Attention now turns to the busy winter season ahead. “Dubai's success has always been rooted in its ability to adapt,” McEwan explains. “It has demonstrated an ability to recover and continue moving forward. What we are seeing now is another example of that resilience, with international demand returning and the industry preparing for a strong winter season.”
For businesses across tourism, hospitality and luxury services, the outlook coming out of ATM points to continued growth. A significant pipeline of new luxury hotels, expanding premium experiences and a trade show that put the high-net-worth traveller front and centre all reflect steady confidence in Dubai's ability to attract affluent visitors in the years ahead.
