ATM 2026 Future Stage Opens With Focus on AI’s Role in Rebuilding Foundations of Global Travel
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) | Published September 14, 2026 | 09:00 PM
DUBAI (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 14th Sep, 2026) Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 officially launched its Future Stage today, gathering industry leaders to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the global travel industry.
Located within the Tech & Innovation Hub at the new ATM Travel Tech, Rachel Travers, President of the UK Hub at RX Global, inaugurated the Future Stage, inviting attendees to four days of discussions on emerging technologies and innovations shaping travel.
Following the opening ceremony, Dr Marwan Alzarouni, CEO of AI at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), delivered the keynote address titled "AI’s True Role in Rewriting the Travel Landscape." He examined how AI is reshaping travel discovery and the underlying systems supporting the industry.
As travelers increasingly rely on AI platforms for inspiration, research, and recommendations, Dr. Alzarouni highlighted the implications for destinations. He emphasized the need for accurate and timely tourism information accessible by AI-powered platforms:
"Traditional search rankings are no longer sufficient. As travelers turn to AI for answers, we must ensure Dubai is visible and represented with precise, up-to-date, and authoritative information across our entire tourism ecosystem. We address content and discoverability gaps as both content and technology challenges."
Beyond discovery, the keynote explored the necessity of integrating AI across travel ecosystems rather than using it in isolation. Collaboration between destinations, airlines, hotels, governments, and tech partners is crucial to maximizing AI’s potential.
Dr. Alzarouni concluded:
"You cannot utilize AI in silos. The real value comes from integrating AI across your partners and systems so that destinations, airlines, hotels, and governments work together. This allows us to turn AI aspirations into practical solutions that reshape travel."
This session reflected a growing trend in the industry’s AI discourse, shifting from individual applications like personalization and customer service to how the technology can enhance connectivity, efficiency, and decision-making across the broader travel landscape.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE at RX Global, stated:
"The conversation around AI in travel is evolving rapidly. We are moving beyond asking how individual businesses can use AI for specific parts of the traveler journey. The key question now is how AI can improve the overall experience by connecting different parts of the industry."
