Dubai trade event Arabian Travel Market cancels 2020 edition

Dubai trade show Arabian Travel Market (ATM) will not go ahead this year, it has been confirmed.

The next edition of the region’s largest travel fair will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 16-19 2021, following the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid Al Fitr celebrations, a statement said.

In early March, ATM organisers had announced that the annual show would be postponed from its original schedule of April 19-22 to June 28-July 1, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

But the current Covid-19 situation has changed the circumstances, the statement said.

“In light of the changing global situation relating to the Covid-19 virus, we have continued to monitor the impact it is having not just on our industry, but on society in general. Many meetings took place with the Dubai World Trade Centre and we reviewed other options to organise an event in the last quarter,” organisers Reed Travel Exhibitions said in the statement.

“However, ultimately it became apparent that the best course of action, and with everyone’s best interests in mind, is to postpone the event to 2021.”

Discussions took place at the “highest level both internally and externally” with local and federal government, partners, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees to make the decision.

“We appreciate that this is disappointing news, however everyone’s health and safety is our top priority. We are fully aware of the important role that ATM plays for industry professionals right across the Middle East region and beyond, and we believe it is our responsibility to deliver a safe and successful event when we are able to do so,” the statement added.

Organisers said they will be running a virtual event from June 1-3, 2020 featuring webinars, live conference sessions, speed networking events and meetings.

Several events across the world and regionally have been postponed or cancelled this year due to the impact of Covid-19.

Read: Advertising event Dubai Lynx 2020 cancelled due to Covid-19 impact

The Tokyo Olympics – slated to begin in July 2020 – has now been pushed to 2021.

Meanwhile, organisers of Dubai Expo 2020 have also reached out to the BIE, the World Expo governing body, to delay the six-month long event by one year.

The six-month long expo was scheduled to start on October 20, 2020 and run until April 10, 2021.

A final decision on postponement can only be made by the BIE’s executive committee and the general assembly.

Read more: Expo 2020 Dubai organisers seek one-year delay due to coronavirus