Thailand makes strong showing at Arabian Travel Market

Dozens of pro-cannabis advocates gathered at Thailand's health ministry on Thursday 16 May to oppose the government’s plan to relist the plant as a narcotic, two years after it was decriminalised.

With things looking up for tourism in The Bahamas, representatives of the country’s Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) are set to build on their success at the 42nd edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and scheduled for 20 - 23 May 2024 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest tourism marketing event will offer opportunity for The Bahamas to shine as buyers and sellers of tourism products and services from countries across the region convening for business. In 2023, The Bahamas saw record-breaking tourism growth accounting for 9.6 million visitors, up 38% from 2022. While foreign air arrivals rose 17% to record 1.7 million in 2023, cruise arrivals surged 43.5% to record 7.9 million. The country’s 16 islands all enjoyed significant increases, with visits to New Providence, for instance, up 36% in 2023, to Grand Bahama up 44%, and the Out Islands up 40%.

Travel distribution platform TBO Tek made a strong debut on the Indian stock market on Wednesday. Its shares were listed at 50% premium over its IPO issue price on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in the morning and at 55% premium on the National Stock Exchange (NSE). 

As I tucked into a bowl of wisp-thin Thai rice noodles studded with bok choy and sprinkled with fried garlic, all I could do was wax poetic about Buffalo wings.

The U.S. dollar is going strong relative to many foreign currencies right now, which translates to international travel bargains for savvy shoppers. One of the easiest way for American travelers to grab a “deal” on an overseas trip is to choose a destination where the comparatively strong dollar delivers a built-in automatic discount for on-the-ground costs like hotels, dining and attractions.

In theory, Pimalai Resort and Spa in Thailand’s Krabi province checks all the boxes for Indian tourists. But the majority of the travelers limit their visit to Bangkok and Phuket, owner Charintip Tiyaphorn told Skift. 

Boutique Group, a pioneering ultra-luxury hospitality group fully owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, marks its first independent participation at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), one of the most significant tourism industry events in the world.

As passenger numbers in the Middle East are predicted to reach 429 million this year, representing a 5.4% increase on 2019 figures, a panel of aviation experts convened at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) yesterday to discuss how the market is changing, outlining their predictions for the future of air travel. The session, ‘Looking Skyward for Innovation: How Technology is Disrupting Aviation’, was moderated by travel expert Mark Frary and included panellists from Cirium, IATA, AviationXLab, and Riyadh Air.

Egypt will showcase its commitment to enhancing the tourist experience and attracting new visitors from the UAE, GCC, and globally by highlighting the country’s tourism potential, forthcoming projects, and future initiatives at Arabian Travel Market 2024 (ATM) in Dubai as it looks to build on the record 15 million tourists welcomed in 2023.

One of the Middle East’s annual big-ticket industry events, the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), takes place this week in Dubai and opened this morning, while the UAE continues to attract visitors from around the world. Just this year, Dubai was ranked first in the Top 100 City Destinations Index 2023 by Euromonitor International. This comes against a backdrop of the world recovering from Covid-19, high inflation rates affecting travel, and turmoil in the region. Although the global travel market continues to recover, few can doubt that the dark clouds that have hovered over the Middle East since the Israel-Gaza war broke out in October of last year have taken a toll on tourism and business travel alike in countries like Egypt and Jordan.

Under the inspiring theme “Empowering Innovation – Transforming Travel through Entrepreneurship,” Oman is poised to demonstrate its dynamic tourism sector at the Arabian Travel Market Exhibition 2024. Spearheaded by His Excellency Azzan bin Qasim Al Busaidi, the Omani delegation is ready to reveal the latest advancements in travel technology and sustainable tourism practices. This strategic participation marks a pivotal effort by Oman to forge new international partnerships, exchange invaluable knowledge, and prominently feature its burgeoning tourism capabilities on the global platform. With more than 36 companies participating, Oman is set to showcase the unique cultural and natural attractions it offers, especially highlighting the much-anticipated Khareef Dhofar season and various summer promotional activities aimed at attracting global tourists.

The Philippines returns to the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024 on 6 – 9 May 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Center. As the Middle East’s leading global travel event, ATM is a crucial platform for nations to spotlight their tourism offerings and foster invaluable partnerships within the global travel industry.