Dubai is excited to welcome back Chinese travel industry professionals as it hosts the 30th edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) trade show from May 1 to 4.

The event will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, in collaboration with the emirate's Department of Economy and Tourism, and will host over 2,000 exhibitors and travel industry representatives from more than 150 countries, with visitor traffic estimated at around 34,000.

Prior to the pandemic, Dubai registered almost one million Chinese visitors in 2019, an increase of more than 15 percent compared to the previous year.

In the 11 months of 2022, Dubai saw 154,000 Chinese visitors. While the number was down 83 percent compared to the same period prior to 2020, it, however, represented a jump of 115 percent compared to the January-November period in 2021, ATM organizers said in a press release. The recovery "bodes well not only for Dubai, but also for the wider Middle East tourism sector".

Bookings for overseas travel during the Chinese New Year had soared by 540 percent compared with the same period in 2022, according to data from the Chinese travel site Trip.com.

Danielle Curtis, exhibition director for the Middle East at ATM, said China became the world's top source market in 2019, with 155 million tourists, spending more than $250 billion overseas.

Exhibitor participation at the ATM this year has risen by 27 percent compared to last year. Organizers are seeing regional upticks for the Middle East, whose representation is about 24 percent larger than in 2022, as well as Europe (up 17 percent), Asia (up 15 percent) and Africa (up 8.5 percent).

ATM 2023 bears the theme: "Working Towards Net Zero". Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said this year's event theme focuses on sustainability, given the UAE's Year of Sustainability and its hosting of COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference, in Dubai in November this year.

As momentum continues to accelerate across the global tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) segments, Kazim said they welcome the pursuit of a more evolved, collaborative, inclusive and long-term approach to sustainable growth and practices for the industry.

ATM 2023 will also feature the inaugural "ATM Sustainable Stand Award", the results of which will be announced as part of the ATM 2023 Best Stand Awards.

Entries will be judged according to an extensive range of sustainable criteria, including supplier choice, material usage, operational efficiency, and even what will happen to the display stands once the exhibition has concluded.

The travel fair will be hosting a variety of sessions focused on pivotal industry issues pertaining to hotels and hospitality, aviation and transport, MICE, business travel, investment, responsible tourism, workforce diversification, and emerging segments such as attractions, cruises, wellness and cultural tourism.

This year's show will see the return of International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Arabia, in a dedicated lounge within the ATM, which will explore trends and opportunities within the burgeoning field of high-end tourism.

There will also be sessions from the International Tourism & Investment Conference, the International Congress and Convention Association, and the Global Business Travel Association.