Officials from the UAE, Bahrain, Uzbekistan, the European Commission and the United Nations discussed the recovery and future of tourism in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, which is being held in Dubai and will conclude on September 17, 2026.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais emphasized that the countries best able to manage crises are those that prepare before a crisis occurs, noting that these countries build relationships early, share information and establish trust. Nuwais said: “We are ready because we have learned. We are ready because we already knew who to call. We are ready because we built resilience together long before we needed it. That is the resilience I believe this region can show the world.”
“We Managed to Navigate Ourselves Through the Storm Exceptionally Well”
UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Member of the UAE Cabinet Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said: “Everyone talks about the resilience of tourism; I talk about the fundamentals of tourism. Because what has been built over the past 50 years has laid the foundation for what we have witnessed recently. We saw the storm, we were right in the middle of the storm, and we managed to navigate ourselves through it exceptionally well.”
“Europe Stands with its Friends”
European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the European Union (EU) stands with its friends, stating:
“I am here today to deliver a very strong message. The European Union stands with its friends, allies and partners; for us, the UAE and the Gulf countries are truly partners and allies. I am here to support you through this difficult period. I am pleased to see that this difficult period is almost behind us, with the data showing that a recovery is underway and that we are moving in the right direction again. I want you to know that the European Union stands with you to ensure that the path you are following continues successfully.”
Conflicts Create Instability in Tourism and MICE Sectors
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) stated at IMEX Frankfurt 2026, held in Germany in May 2026, that global conflicts were causing instability in the MICE and tourism sectors.
The research found that global conflicts contributed to increased disruption in the sector in 2026 compared with 2025. Among respondents, 73.84 percent said global conflicts had affected their ability to plan or host international meetings. IAPCO noted that this figure stood at 53.92 percent in 2025.
