• Exclusive insights into sports tourism, major events and MICE trends, showcased across the ATM 2026 conference stages
  • ATM 2026 will take place from 4-7 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 4-7 May, will showcase the importance of sports tourism, as new research reveals that sports event-driven travellers – defined as people who travel overnight to attend live sporting event – spend significantly more per trip, with frequent sports tourists spending up to twice as much per trip as the average traveller.

According to Sports Tourists: Travelling with Passion, a white paper by GSIQ, a global sports and tourism insights agency and research partner of ATM 2026, frequent sports event travellers not only outspend traditional tourists but are also increasingly seeking premium, high-quality experiences.

Highlighting the scale of the opportunity, the research also projects the sports tourism sector to representing a potential 63% increase in the number of people who intend to take a sports-related trip in the coming years in the coming years, delivering a substantial uplift for Middle East sports tourism, which PwC values at approximately US$600 billion, while globally, the market is expected to reach over US$2 trillion by 2030, redefining the shape of the global travel and tourism industry.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “By understanding the mechanics of sports tourism, destinations and tour operators can develop strategies to drive repeat visits, and attract new audiences. Ultimately, knowing what motivates sports fans to travel will determine how stakeholders meet evolving consumer expectations, to ensure sustained engagement and growth in this potentially lucrative market.”

Sports tourists are primarily motivated by their passion for sport, but their travel decisions are strongly influenced by accessibility, affordability, quality and overall value. The white paper highlights that value remains a decisive factor, with 63% of respondents prioritising fair ticket and package pricing, particularly among newer sports travellers. Notably, while only 36% say a destination must already appeal to them, 41% are open to extending a sports-led trip into a longer leisure holiday.

As a result, major sporting events act as a catalyst for destination growth, encouraging deeper exploration, longer stays and stronger word-of-mouth advocacy for host locations. Indeed, around 80% of sports event attendees either return as leisure tourists to destinations they first visited for sport or recommend them to others, while also reporting a more positive perception of those destinations.

Addressing the positive impact on the leisure tourism market, experts from GSIQ will present an exclusive white paper on the Global Stage during ATM 2026, in a session titled “The Power of Sport Tourism: New Audiences & New Revenue,” exploring how destinations and travel companies can convert this growing potential into significant and sustainable tourism revenue.

Eva Stewart, Global Managing Partner at GSIQ, added: “Sports tourism is no longer a niche segment; it is one of the fastest-growing drivers of global travel demand. Our research shows that sports travellers spend more, stay longer and return more often, making them one of the most valuable audiences for destinations worldwide. With the Middle East rapidly expanding its world-class sporting infrastructure, the region is exceptionally well‑positioned to capture this growth, a trend we look forward to exploring further at ATM.”

According to the 2025 ATM Trends Report, developed in partnership with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, destinations across the Middle East are capitalising on surging demand for live events, from global sporting tournaments to concerts and festivals. Following the successful delivery of mega-events such as Expo 2020 Dubai and the Qatar 2022 World Cup, momentum is accelerating further as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

“ATM plays a vital role in identifying the trends shaping global tourism, and few are as important today as sports, events and MICE tourism. From mega sporting tournaments to world-class cultural events, these experiences are helping destinations reach new audiences, extend length of stay and accelerate progress towards long-term tourism growth targets. The return of the expanded IBTM @ ATM in 2026, a dedicated hub for the business events, corporate travel and experiential design sectors, and also featuring the Experience Stage with high-profile speakers – further elevates ATM’s commitment to advancing the global events ecosystem. This strengthened platform reflects the region’s growing influence and underscores the Middle East’s emergence as one of the world’s most dynamic and fast‑developing meetings and events markets,” added Curtis.

Other sessions taking place during ATM 2026 include The new experience economy: What will make events irresistible in 2030? Taking place on the Experience Stage, the panel discussion will outline the future of events in the region. With a focus on events, creativity and immersive technology. On the Global Stage, a panel discussion on Decoding Growth: How hospitality is adapting to new traveller needs, will address the multi-motivated needs of travellers.

Registration is now live for ATM. Media can register here, to register as a visitor, click here, and for enquiries related to exhibiting, please click here.

The latest ATM news stories are available at https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/.

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For more information, log on to wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html.

About ATM

Now in its 33rd year, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the leading global platform driving growth and innovation across every sector of the travel and tourism industry. Held annually in Dubai – the gateway to global travel and tourism with its unmatched connectivity – ATM is where the energy of opportunity comes to life.

More than just an event, ATM is a dynamic hub for industry communities, featuring forums, experiences, and networking opportunities that continue well beyond the show floor throughout the week. Now in a period of rapid expansion, ATM has grown 16% year-over-year, attracting over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.

About IBTM @ ATM

IBTM @ ATM is the dedicated business events (MICE) hub within Arabian Travel Market (ATM), connecting the global meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) community with the Middle East’s rapidly expanding meetings and mega events sector.

The feature brings together association planners, conference organisers, corporate buyers, and incentive agencies with destinations, venues, DMCs, and business event suppliers specialising in world-class events. With a comprehensive hosted buyer programme, targeted networking, pre-scheduled appointments, and a dedicated Experience Stage featuring expert-led sessions, IBTM @ ATM is the essential platform for driving innovation, collaboration, and growth across the global meetings industry.

About ATM Travel Tech

ATM Travel Tech is the premier co-located technology event within Arabian Travel Market (ATM), dedicated to showcasing the groundbreaking innovations set to transform global travel by 2040.

ATM Travel Tech will feature more than 180 exhibitors from 30 countries across two dedicated halls, providing a dynamic platform for the technologies, partnerships, and ideas shaping the future of travel.

At its core, the Tech & Innovation Hub spans 850m², offering immersive demos in AI, VR and AR, robotics, fintech, and green technologies. The Future Stage will bring together global tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and futurists to discuss artificial intelligence, immersive commerce, cybersecurity, and sustainability, alongside the Start-up Pitch Battle. Evolving from ATM’s fastest-growing sector, ATM Travel Tech provides a dynamic platform driving the future of travel technology.

The next edition of ATM will take place in Dubai from 4–7 May 2026.

https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html    

About RX

RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com.

About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 36,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. *Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises leading travel events and online portals across four continents. The events are:

WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia is the definitive launchpad for Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions – a platform purpose-built to connect the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector with the global travel industry. The show promotes meaningful exchange between regional stakeholders and international players. It’s where global travel brands gain direct access to one of the most promising new markets, and where Saudi Arabia showcases its destinations, vision, and investment opportunities to the world. WTM Spotlight Riyadh plays a vital role in shaping the Kingdom’s journey as a rising force in global tourism.

Next event: 8-10 September 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre (RFECC)

http://spotlight-riyadh.com/

WTM London is the world’s most influential travel & tourism event for the global travel community. The show is the ultimate destination for those seeking a macro view of the travel industry and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping it. WTM London is where influential travel leaders, buyers and high-profile travel companies gather to exchange ideas, drive innovation, and accelerate business outcomes.

Next event: 3 to 5 November 2026 at ExCel London.

http://london.wtm.com/

WTM Latin America takes place annually in the city of São Paulo and attracts around 20,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers qualified content together with networking and business opportunities. In this its ninth edition – there have been eight face-to-face events along with a 100% virtual one, which was held in 2021 – WTM Latin America continued to focus on effective business generation, and achieved the advance booking of six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents and exhibitors in 2022.

Next event: 14 to 16 April 2026 – Expo Center Norte, SP, Brazil.

http://latinamerica.wtm.com/

WTM Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2022, WTM Africa facilitated more than 7 thousand unique pre-scheduled appointments, an increase of more than 7% compared to 2019 and welcomed more than 6 thousand visitors (unaudited), the same number as in 2019.

Next event: 13 to 15 April 2026 – Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town http://africa.wtm.com/

About ATW Connect:  Africa Travel Week’s digital arm, is a virtual hub packed to the seams with interesting content, industry news and insights, and the opportunity to hear from experts on a variety of topics in our new monthly webinar series. All with the aim to keep all of us in the travel and tourism industry connected. ATW Connect focuses on inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel and the MICE/business travel sector as well as travel technology.

https://atwconnect.com/

WTM Global Hub, is the WTM Portfolio online portal created to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world. The resource hub offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. WTM Portfolio is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub. https://hub.wtm.com/

Media contact:
TRINA QUINTANA
Account Manager
Indigo Icon Tower, Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
E-mail: trina.quintana@shamalcomms.com
Website: www.shamalcomms.com
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