Welcome to Dubai, where tourism recovery begins: Sheikh Mohammed

Welcome to Dubai, where tourism recovery begins: Sheikh Mohammed

“We welcome everyone to Dubai, where the world's tourism recovery begins. Here, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel that humanity has passed through during the past year and a half,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted as the 28th edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) began on Sunday. Over 60 countries are taking part in the biggest tourism event of its kind since the outbreak of Covid-19. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Emirates airline and Chief Executive of the Emirates Group, inaugurated the four-day event at the Trade Centre. About 1,300 exhibitors from 62 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Germany, Cyprus, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, the Maldives, the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico and the US, are attending the Middle East’s premier exhibition for travel and tourism. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, also shared a positive message at the ATM and said Covid vaccine passports are the only way to restart mass international travel. “I don’t think there is an alternative,” Griffiths told the BBC. Dubai International Airport, which represents around 27 per cent of Dubai's GDP and 21 per cent of the employment in