The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is emerging as a high-value travel market for Asia Pacific tourism.
Asia Pacific is now a significant air travel market, with Southeast Asia in particular experiencing significant growth, contributing to a projected 5.9% increase in Middle East air passenger traffic in 2025, according to the Airports Council International (ACI) World’s 2025 global air traffic forecast.
This shift is also playing put at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, taking place from 4-7 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, which is expecting a stronger presence from APAC exhibitors this year. APAC exhibitor participation at the show has recorded a 13.95% compound annual growth rate between 2024 and 2026.
GCC travellers are also among the world’s highest-value tourists, spending 11 times the global average when travelling in Asia, according to research company Reso. Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam remain among the most in-demand destinations for Gulf travellers, supported by robust air connectivity and increasingly competitive airfares.
As APAC takes an even greater share of outbound travel from the Middle East, “over 10 million extra tourism nights are expected in 2030,” said Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, Arabian Travel Market.
Confirmed Asia tourism boards at ATM 2026 include Tourism Authority of Thailand, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cambodia Tourism Marketing and Promotion Board, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Korea Tourism Organization, the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, Brunei Tourism and Visit Maldives Corporation, among others.
On the exhibitor front, confirmed booths come from Hilton Hotels of Malaysia, Conrad Singapore Orchard, The Garden Hotel Company Ltd. (Guangzhou), Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa, ROKU KYOTO, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Six & Six Private Islands, Ayana Hospitality and China Cultural Centre in the UAE, among others.
On the event floor, ATM 2026 will feature a panel session on the Global Stage entitled “Asia–GCC Corridor: The Next Great Growth Engine”, as well as a content programme featuring expert panels, market outlooks, technology showcases, and destination briefings.
Strengthening economic ties between the Gulf and Asia is further supporting travel flows. Trade between the two regions is projected to reach $802 billion by 2030, according to insights from the global think tank Asia House, which expects the continent to become the Gulf’s largest trading bloc by 2028.