• Independent panel of judges congratulate the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism – 84% of exhibition stand created out of reused materials, 100% of materials locally sourced, carbon emissions reduced by approximately 10%
  • Airlines, destinations and hotel groups all recognised across 7 categories in ATM 2025 stand awards

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) was presented with the Sustainable Stand Award at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which concludes tomorrow (Thursday 1st May) at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

DET was recognised by an independent panel of judges due to the fact that 84% of their exhibition stand was built from reused materials, 100% of the materials used were locally sourced and sustainable and DET achieved a targeted reduction in carbon emissions of approximately 10% exemplifying a high-impact, data-driven approach to sustainable exhibiting.

The food and beverage menu prioritised plant-based, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients, using sustainable packaging and portion control to reduce food waste. DET also used digital brochures and QR codes instead of printed materials and gave away a limited amount of eco-friendly gifts and used digital data caption to eliminate paper waste.

In addition to the DET, the judges also highly commended the Abu Dhabi and Qatar destination stands for their sustainable efforts.

In the Best Stand Design Award (over 150sqm) category, the Oman Ministry of Heritage & Tourism was selected by the judges primarily for its unique and authentic look and feel, with traditional Omani handicrafts, a even a local food station. 

The Best Stand Design Award (between 50sqm - 150sqm) went to HeyTrip International whose showcase stood out due to its excellent use of space and the vivid and vibrant colour scheme.

The Best Stand Design Award (under 50sqm) was given to FlyAkeed for its use of LED lighting which contributed towards its futuristic look.    

Kerzner International Management was presented with the Best Stand for Doing Business Award, thanks to its spacious, comfortable seating arrangement, which combined with its impressive layout, created a slick business-like environment. General and one-on-one meetings were designed to be accommodated on the ground floor, while more private high-level meetings were easily convened on the upper floor.

The Award for Best Use of Technology was given to A.A. Al Moosa thanks to its functional yet eye-catching interactive screen with detailed information on each of its portfolio of hotel properties which were linked to a number of impressive 3D displays. 

The Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board secured the Best Stand Feature Award, with judges remarking that the prominent stage set the perfect scene for their immersive cultural music and dance performances, conveying the vibrant destination effectively and memorably.

The judges for the ATM 2025 Best Stand Awards included Nehme Shebab, Operations Director for RX Middle East; Philip Woolner, Area Director MEA at STR; Sarah Duigan, Director of Client Relationships at STR; Dominique Exmann, Regional Tourism Commercial Director, MENA, Oxford Economics and Otag Fida, Senior Project Manager, DXB Live - Events Service Management

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The judges were extremely impressed with the quality and attention to detail of this year’s stands, which demonstrated a range of innovative approaches to sustainability, functionality, hospitality and of course esthetics. Many congratulations to all of this year’s award winners.”

The 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market, held under the theme ‘Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity’, will welcome more than 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), reinforcing Dubai’s pivotal role as a centre for global tourism and business collaboration.

Held in conjunction with DWTC, ATM’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.

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

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

About Arabian Travel Market (ATM)

Now in its 32nd year, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) is the leading international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. Held annually at the Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2024 spanned 12 halls, making it the largest edition to date. The event attracted over 47,000 attendees, more than 35,000 visitors (including 6,000+ high-value buyers) and over 2,550 exhibitors and representatives from over 161 countries. In 2025, ATM will expand to 13 halls, growing across all sectors, and will continue to be a crucial gathering for the global travel and tourism industry. Arabian Travel Market is part of Arabian Travel Week. #ATMDubai

ATM takes place from 28 April to 1 May 2025, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai.

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

Arabian Travel Week is a week-long festival of events from 28 April to 4 May, alongside Arabian Travel Market 2025. Providing a renewed focus for the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector, it includes Start-Up Competition, Influencers' Event, GBTA Business Travel Forums, and ATM Travel Tech. The event also features ATM Buyer Networking and a series of country forums.

https://www.wtm.com/arabian-travel-week/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 Arabian Travel Market, WTM London, WTM Latin America and WTM Africa.

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: 4 to 6 November 2025 at ExCel London

http://london.wtm.com/

WTM Latin America is held annually in São Paulo and attracts more than 29,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers a qualified content combined with networking and business opportunities. In its most recent edition, in 2024, WTM Latin America maintained its focus on the effective generation of business and managed to secure the early scheduling of more than six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents, and exhibitors. WTM Latin America contents are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Next event: 14 – 16 April 2025, Expo Center Norte, São Paulo, Brasil

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: 9 to 11 April 2025 – 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
A member of the ECCO Communications Network