DUBAI: A Dubai-based global travel group is harnessing AI-powered data analysis to enhance the entire user journey across the travel ecosystem, blending technology with a human touch to create more authentic tourism experiences. This was revealed by Mohamed Al Rais, Executive Director of Al Rais Travel and Shipping, at the region’s premier travel and tourism event recently held in Dubai.
Al Rais was speaking to Trends MENA during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the leading global event for the travel and tourism sector, that earlier this month welcomed more than 55,000 industry professionals from 166 countries in the Dubai World Trade Center. Al Rais Travel and Shipping were one of over 2,800 exhibiting companies, with 19% from the Middle East and 81% from the rest of the world.
ATM 2025 theme of “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity,” exploring how the future of tourism will be shaped by connectivity across borders, industries and communities was a core focus of the week-long event.
How is Al Rais Travel adapting to the evolving travel requirements and adding value to the whole ecosystem considering also the fact that Dubai is a travel hotspot connecting the East and the West.
I used to say that Dubai is a hub for the region but today I think it’s a global hub. From airports and ports, and from business to leisure to business and meetings, Dubai has become a global hub. Tourism is not only about leisure, it’s about business, about meetings and about traveling. So, there is business travel, MICE, medical tourism and leisure tourism. Dubai is capable to be leading in each aspect of this. And as part of Al Rais we are also part of the world. We need to be catching up with Dubai with the speed its going At this ATM we have done two major things. Firstly, we are empowering our AI data analysis technology to have end-to-end user experience and to fulfil the full ecosystem. We are trying to have this AI with a hyper type, with a human touch. So at least it’s not fully AI but also with a human touch.
We are trying to get something hybrid, you know, because sometimes when it comes to authentic tourism, so you need to really pinpoint and be the personal touch on this one. Secondly, we are opening our representation office in India to cater more to the Indian tourists, which is the largest market source to Dubai. We also want to be part of this success. Connect the India tour operator and travel agency to Dubai as a connecting hub.
What are some of the primary inbound and outbound markets for you and where do you see greatest potential and more synergies?
Inbound we are focusing on the GCC market, the Indian market, and the CIS market. Other inbound markets we focus on are Asia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. When it comes to outbound we do sell a lot of things but some we are focusing on are Switzerland, Cape Town, the Middle East and Europe. We sell everywhere, but these regions is where we focus on deals and packages mostly.
When it comes to the new trends, how important are personalization and AI?
It’s become very important. AI technology is coming into our personal life. Not even our business. Everything we use, our mobile, everything is digital, everything is chatgpt. So all of these also put us on our toes to be on board with what’s going in the market. So, we try to have similar things related to travel with the database, with the analysis and other things.
Almost 60,000 people are attending this year’s ATM. Obviously, the MICE market is growing exponentially. Which travel segments do you see a lot of potential for growth for Dubai and the UAE?
There are four trends to mention here. First, there is sustainable travel which is getting stronger in Dubai. Second is the multi-generational family travel. And the third, is the bleisure travel (business and leisure). Many people will come to the ATM but they brought their family with them. If a husband brings a wife, and a wife brings a husband after the ATM they will enjoy another two to three nights after the event.
The fourth trend is about experiences. People like to go to experience something different. It’s not only about traveling different weather, coffee, restaurants. It’s a very experiential trip to where they would go maybe to a part of the world only to try a specific hotel or a specific restaurant or a specific activity. So this type of travel is increasing. People are coming to Dubai for business.
Are you curating products to cater to those four trends?
That’s the priority. When people approach us, we really try to understand. Some want the beach, others want a typical safari. A third group seeks very authentic experiences and sustainability. So whatever the requirements are, we have all different packages to suit all these types of customers.
What are your predictions for the industry in 2025 and 2026?
Dubai has always surprised us with many things. Today, people are talking about challenges in the world around the tariffs. Dubai adapts to change but also adapts to challenges. Every challenge in the last decade in Dubai was an opportunity. So, this year I think Dubai will have a record number of visitors regardless of what’s going in the world. I think Dubai will shine off. We are part of Dubai. When Dubai does well, the companies do well. So, when Dubai marks a record, we could also be recording something great.
