ATM 2021: Light at the end of the Covid-19 travel tunnel, says Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

Vice President and Ruler of Dubai says staging Arabian Travel Market event brings hope

A raft of measures to support the hospitality sector were set out at Dubai's Arabian Travel Market 2021, including a one-month trial to ease Covid-19 rules for bars, restaurants and live venues. Antonie Robertson / The National

The 2021 Arabian Travel Market exhibition opened at the World Trade Centre in Dubai on May 16. Antonie Robertson / The National

Top industry leaders, ministers, airline executives and hoteliers will meet during the four-day event. Antonie Robertson / The National

Organisers say it is the first in-person travel and tourism event in the world since the onset of the pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National

This year's event comes at a crucial time as the global aviation and tourism industry battles the Covid-19 pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National

A man makes handicrafts at the Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market exhibition. Antonie Robertson / The National

Coffee is served at the Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market. Antonie Robertson / The National

The Emirates Airlines stand at Arabian Travel Market. Antonie Robertson / The National

The Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market. Antonie Robertson / The National

This year's exhibition is being held under the theme "A new dawn for travel and tourism". Antonie Robertson / The National

The Morocco stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National

Visitors at the Expo 2020 Dubai stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National

Visitors tour some of the exhibition stands at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National

This year's event will focus on the current state of the industry, progress on vaccines and future trends. Pawan Singh / The National

Visitors at the Abu Dhabi stand look at a model of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National

Visitors tour the Dubai exhibit at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National

An artisan makes handicrafts at the Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National

Visitors at the Saudi Arabia stand. Pawan Singh / The National

The Egypt stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National.

The Dubai stand, with a model of Burj Khalifa in the foreground, at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National.

The Expo 2020 Dubai stand at the Arabian Travel Market. Delayed from last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai opens on October 1. Pawan Singh / The National.

Visitors explore the Expo 2020 Dubai stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday said there was light at the end of the tunnel for global tourism.

Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai hosting the "mega-tourism event", Arabian Travel Market, showed how the industry was surging back after Covid-19.

More than 60 countries took part on Sunday, the start of the four-day conference, which is the first in-person international travel and tourism event since the onset of the pandemic.

"Dubai welcomes the world as global tourism begins to recover, representing the light at the end of the tunnel," Sheikh Mohammed wrote on Twitter.

The first day of the event saw big developments in how the UAE will handle the next stages as global travel slowly returns.

Abu Dhabi announced that it intended to drop quarantine requirements for most countries from July.

"Abu Dhabi will be open for everyone with no quarantine protocol, starting from July 1," Ali Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at the emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism, told The National.

“We are going to welcome everybody to Abu Dhabi with a different protocol but no quarantine.”

Ras Al Khaimah said it would spend Dh500 million ($136.14m) on 20 sustainable tourism destinations as it taps into global demand for ecotourism.

Investments made in partnership with RAK Hospitality Holding and the emirate's Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be made over the next 24 months, significantly increasing the number of hotel rooms in the emirate, said Raki Phillips, chief executive of RAK Tourism Development Authority.