UAE: Climate change in travel and tourism industry in spotlight at ATM 2023

The 30^th edition of Arabian Travel Market 2023 kicked off at the Dubai World Trade Centre, with a spotlight on climate change during the opening session of the four-day event.

The tourism and economy figureheads from across the Middle East region converged to tackle climate change and ensure the implementation of sustainable policies. Tourism is responsible for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions from transport, food and beverage, accommodation, and related goods and services. https://twitter.com/ATMDubai/status/1653043653437276167 Taking place on the Global Stage at ATM, Anchor, and Correspondent CNN moderated Eleni Giokos the opening discussion. Sujit Mohanty, Regional Division for Arab States, UNDRR, Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, Managing Director, Jordan Tourism Board, and HE Walid Nassar, Minister of Tourism, Lebanon were the panelists. Sujit Mohanty said, “Globally, in the last 20 years, there have been $2.97 trillion in economic losses due to disasters. Climate change is leading to more frequent and severe climate-related hazards. They include floods, heat waves, cyclones, and hurricanes. These natural disasters cause the tourism industry huge financial losses. Therefore, the return on investment is clear – invest now to help protect the future.” https://twitter.com/DubaiTrends/status/1653036565600534529 Dr. Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat, said, “The businesses and travellers contribution to carbon footprint is our one of the key priorities. Besides awareness, we are offering incentives to hotels, businesses, and stakeholders to encourage sustainable practices.” HE Walid Nassar said, “The guesthouse sector has grown in the last two to three years in Lebanon, which is a welcome trend. We have now established a syndicate of over 150 guesthouses, encouraging tourism in more remote areas.” https://twitter.com/gulftoday/status/1653044786952060934 Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME for Arabian Travel Market, said, “The issue of climate change has never been more topical. The strategies discussed today provided a perfect launchpad for ATM 2023. The conference will explore the future of sustainable travel under the theme: “Working towards net zero.” https://twitter.com/biztoday_intl/status/1652223653847891968 Curtis added: “We will be hearing from leading voices across diverse segments of the global travel and tourism sector during the event. The participants have a shared vision to improve climate change and ensure environmental protection.” https://twitter.com/Sabre_Corp/status/1653053522613620741 Elsewhere on the agenda Day one of ATM 2023 featured 20 sessions across the Global Stage, Travel Tech Stage, and Sustainability Hub. Other highlights from the day included the Technology: The Enabler of Sustainable Travel session,  the funding of sustainability, and Enhancing the Customer Experience Through AI. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance also touched on the importance of protecting the locations, livelihoods, and communities in which hotels are based in the Achieving Net Positive Hospitality session. https://twitter.com/nawal_ramahi/status/1652968461730021377 Second-day agenda John Strickland will host Emirates Returns to Growth in conversation with Sir Timothy Clark, KBE President, Emirates Airline. This discussion will reference topics such as passenger traffic growth and future challenges and opportunities. https://twitter.com/PakinUAE_/status/1652992531431407618 Day two will start with a digital consumer focus featuring speakers from Euromonitor, TikTok, and Amadeus. Green technology is the subject of a discussion between a panel of experts at the Sustainability Hub. They will discuss how technology can help reduce carbon emissions, water consumption and deal with waste. https://twitter.com/PtdcOfficial/status/1651884045771440128 ATM 2023 strategic partners ATM 2023 is being held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre and its strategic partners include the Department of Economy and Tourism as the Destination Partner, Emirates as the Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as the Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel as the Official DMC Partner. The show forms an integral part of Arabian Travel Week, a 10-day-long festival of travel and tourism events. https://twitter.com/HayleyScottie/status/1653024259206176768 About Arabian Travel Market Arabian Travel Market is the leading event for inbound and outbound tourism professionals in the Middle East. ATM 2022 attracted over 24,000 visitors and hosted over 31,000 participants.  They included 1,600 exhibitors and attendees from 151 countries at DWTC. The Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. https://twitter.com/DubaiPoliceHQ/status/1653026771413917697 https://dubainews.tv/uae-climate-change-in-travel-and-tourism-industry-in-spotlight-at-atm-2023/?feed_id=16179&_unique_id=644fe2d42ba59