People visit the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Sept. 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Zecong)

DUBAI, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre has drawn global tourism officials, airlines, hotels, and tech firms, showcasing an industry increasingly embracing two priorities: artificial intelligence (AI) and China's rising pull as a tourism destination.

The four-day event, which runs until Thursday, hosted over 2,800 exhibitors and 55,000 tourism professionals. The show floor integrated AI, robotics, and digital payments alongside traditional travel offerings, reflecting the growing role of technology in the sector.

Marwan Alzarouni, CEO of AI at Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said travelers were increasingly using AI for inspiration, research, and recommendations, requiring destinations to make tourism information accurate and accessible to AI systems.

"Traditional search rankings are no longer enough," he said, adding AI should be integrated across destinations, airlines, hotels, and government agencies rather than deployed in isolated applications.

Irshad Ali, a software developer at Techno Heaven Consultancy from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said the company has ramped up investment in AI services for hotels, travel agencies, and airlines across the Middle East.

There was still significant room for cooperation between the travel and technology sectors, with substantial market potential ahead, he said.

Siddharth Sudhakar, general manager for Middle East and North Africa at China's Trip.com, said Gulf consumers are highly tech-savvy. He outlined a two-way exchange: bringing Middle Eastern travel experiences to Chinese consumers, while channeling Chinese AI and tech innovations into the Middle East.

However, Shahab Shayan, an official at DET's Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing cautioned the AI industry must still learn to deploy it carefully and at scale, while keeping the human element central to tourism.

People try a new suite for business class in the exhibition area of Qatar Airways during the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Sept. 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Zecong)

Another notable theme at ATM 2026 was the reverse flow: China is actively working to attract more Middle Eastern visitors.

For the third year running, the China Cultural Center in the UAE brought a Chinese tourism delegation to ATM. The group comprised 28 companies from eight provinces and cities -- Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Henan, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Hunan and Guangdong -- marking the largest Chinese delegation in the event's history.

Growing familiarity with China through the internet and social media could help deepen tourism and people-to-people ties, said Liu Yang, director of the center.

Qatari travel professional Nawal Alkubaisi said interest in China among Middle Eastern travelers was growing, fueled by social media exposure and familiarization trips that are helping travelers discover the country.

Now in its 33rd edition, ATM 2026 was held under the theme "Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology," reflecting the industry's ambition to look beyond recovery and toward a tech-driven future.