Following ethical tourism brands will become major trend: Arabian Travel Market

RX Global, organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), has revealed that 2022 could witness a resurgence in brand conscious travellers, following commentary it received from delegates attending its 2021 in-person and virtual seminars about responsible tourism.

“The feedback we received, has enabled us to identify a particular profile of traveller, that now actively looks for ethical brands to follow and wants to see tangible evidence of that brand practicing what it claims to be. This potential vertical shows a combination of characteristics attributed to outdoor adventurers, wellness, eco-tourists, digital nomads on ‘workcations’, experiential tourists and socially aware travellers,” said Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market.

“Naturally we will be showcasing this emerging trend during our 2022 hybrid event which takes place live and in-person at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 8-11 May 2022, with a virtual edition on 17 and 18 May 2022. Our conference programme for ATM 2022 is still being created but already we have sessions that will address the challenges facing airlines, hotels and other destinations, in the near future, such as health and safety, technology and equity in health, education, and economic opportunity,” added Curtis.

To underscore that demand, according to market data on Statista, 81% of 29,349 adults surveyed earlier this year, across 30 countries confirmed that they would like to stay in a sustainable resort, at least once in the 12 months ahead. Five years ago, only 62% of respondents, made the same claim. Indeed, Google found that the search term “green hotel,” had increased fourfold over the past 18 months in terms of volume. So, to help eco-tourists, Google will now accredit hotels with a green eco-emblem next to their name during a routine search. It will also add details of the property’s specific sustainability policy and procedures and activities.

To qualify, hotels must have their achievements audited by a credible third- party. “This will provide more transparency for potential guests and help to reward hotels with genuine environmental achievements,” said Curtis.

Now in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), the event, show highlights in 2022 will include, among others, destination summits focused on key source markets Saudi, Russia, China and India.

ATM 2022 will also host dedicated conference summits on the Global Stage, covering aviation, hotels, sports tourism, retail tourism and a special hospitality investment seminar.