DET receives Sustainable Stand Award at Arabian Travel Market

 Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) was presented with the Sustainable Stand Award at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which concludes tomorrow (Thursday 1st May) at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). 

DET was recognised by an independent panel of judges due to the fact that 84% of their exhibition stand was built from reused materials, 100% of the materials used were locally sourced and sustainable and DET achieved a targeted reduction in carbon emissions of approximately 10% exemplifying a high-impact, data-driven approach to sustainable exhibiting. 

The food and beverage menu prioritised plant-based, seasonal, and locally sourced ingredients, using sustainable packaging and portion control to reduce food waste. DET also used digital brochures and QR codes instead of printed materials and gave away a limited amount of eco-friendly gifts and used digital data caption to eliminate paper waste. 

In addition to the DET, the judges also highly commended the Abu Dhabi and Qatar destination stands for their sustainable efforts. 

In the Best Stand Design Award (over 150sqm) category, the Oman Ministry of Heritage & Tourism was selected by the judges primarily for its unique and authentic look and feel, with traditional Omani handicrafts, a even a local food station.  

The Best Stand Design Award (between 50sqm - 150sqm) went to HeyTrip International whose showcase stood out due to its excellent use of space and the vivid and vibrant colour scheme. 

The Best Stand Design Award (under 50sqm) was given to FlyAkeed for its use of LED lighting which contributed towards its futuristic look.    

Kerzner International Management was presented with the Best Stand for Doing Business Award, thanks to its spacious, comfortable seating arrangement, which combined with its impressive layout, created a slick business-like environment. General and one-on-one meetings were designed to be accommodated on the ground floor, while more private high-level meetings were easily convened on the upper floor. 

The Award for Best Use of Technology was given to A.A. Al Moosa thanks to its functional yet eye-catching interactive screen with detailed information on each of its portfolio of hotel properties which were linked to a number of impressive 3D displays.  

The Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board secured the Best Stand Feature Award, with judges remarking that the prominent stage set the perfect scene for their immersive cultural music and dance performances, conveying the vibrant destination effectively and memorably.

The judges for the ATM 2025 Best Stand Awards included Nehme Shebab, Operations Director for RX Middle East; Philip Woolner, Area Director MEA at STR; Sarah Duigan, Director of Client Relationships at STR; Dominique Exmann, Regional Tourism Commercial Director, MENA, Oxford Economics and Otag Fida, Senior Project Manager, DXB Live - Events Service Management

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The judges were extremely impressed with the quality and attention to detail of this year’s stands, which demonstrated a range of innovative approaches to sustainability, functionality, hospitality and of course esthetics. Many congratulations to all of this year’s award winners.”

The 32nd edition of Arabian Travel Market, held under the theme ‘Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity’, will welcome more than 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), reinforcing Dubai’s pivotal role as a centre for global tourism and business collaboration.

Held in conjunction with DWTC, ATM’s strategic partners include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner.

The latest ATM news stories are available at https://hub.wtm.com/category/press/atm-press-releases/.

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