Taking place from May 03-06, 2027, at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), ATM 2027 will explore how destinations and businesses can respond to these changing motivations by developing experiences that attract visitors, encourage spending, and create lasting value for local communities.
According to the ATM Travel Trends Report 2026, produced in association with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, 56 percent of consumers are more interested in exploring new destinations than they were two years ago, rising to 68% among prospective visitors to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). 50 percent report greater interest in sampling local food and drink, while 40% are more interested in meeting local people.
The report identifies a shift towards journeys built around specific passions, with travellers choosing an experience first and arranging the logistics around it. Culture, gastronomy, adventure, wellness, music, and sport are increasingly influencing where people travel, while 30 percent of consumers report greater interest in event-related travel than two years ago.
For tourism businesses, this places greater emphasis on the distinctiveness of their offering and how it contributes to the wider journey, creating new revenue opportunities through experience packages, additional services and partnerships with local providers. A restaurant can become a reason to visit a city, a sporting event can introduce a destination to a new audience, and a hotel can help visitors explore local culture.
The theme will be developed through four pillars: Experience without boundaries, Opportunity without boundaries, Innovation without boundaries and Possibility without boundaries. Together, they will examine how changing traveller motivations influence tourism products, where new markets and commercial opportunities are emerging, how technology can improve the journey, and what collaboration across sectors makes possible.
Innovation will remain central to the exhibition offering, with an emphasis on how technology supports more personalised and intuitive travel experiences. The report highlights AI's growing influence on travel planning alongside the continued value of human expertise, local guides, hosts and communities. This will be highlighted with the return of ATM Travel Tech, the co-located event showcasing the technologies and innovators redefining the travel experience.
The theme also reflects a positive longer-term outlook for tourism. The research forecasts international arrivals to grow by 8 percent worldwide and 17 percent across MENASA in 2027, as travel recovers after 2026 disruptions. Worldwide visitor nights, including domestic and international travel, are projected to exceed 29 billion by 2030, with spending within destinations reaching USD10 trillion.
