Emirates has opened Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 with a series of new and renewed partnerships spanning tourism boards, technology companies and retail operators, reinforcing the airline’s strategy of driving international visitor growth and enhancing the customer experience.
The Dubai-based carrier signed seven Memoranda of
Understanding (MoUs) with tourism authorities across the Indian Ocean, Europe,
Southeast Asia and the UAE, while also renewing strategic agreements with
technology and retail partners.
The airline also welcomed Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to its ATM stand during the event’s opening.
He sampled Emirates’ new
Premium Economy electric seat with privacy dividers, examining the design
alongside senior Emirates executives.
Expanding destination demand
Emirates works with tourism boards to increase destination awareness in markets served by its network of nearly 140 destinations.
The
partnerships aim to turn international interest into bookings while increasing
visitor flows and supporting tourism-related businesses.
For tourism authorities, collaboration with Emirates
provides access to international markets and audiences that may otherwise be
difficult to reach. For the airline, the partnerships help provide customers
with new travel options and encourage them to explore destinations across its
network.
In the Indian Ocean, Emirates renewed its long-standing
partnership with the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and the Ministry of Tourism
and Culture (MTC), extending a relationship that began in 2013.
The agreement will focus on increasing inbound travel to the Seychelles through joint marketing campaigns and familiarisation trips for media and travel-trade partners. Emirates currently operates two daily flights to Mahé.
Visitor arrivals to the Seychelles increased 13% in 2025 to nearly
400,000, compared with 353,000 the previous year.
Emirates also renewed its agreement with the Mauritius
Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), continuing a partnership that has supported
the island’s tourism and trade ambitions for more than two decades.
The airline has helped Mauritius reach new source markets
and contributed to growth from the Middle East, where tourist arrivals rose
10.5% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
Under the renewed agreement, Emirates will promote Mauritius through its global network of travel agents, develop targeted packages for different customer groups and participate in familiarisation trips for media and trade partners.
The airline currently operates three daily flights to
Mauritius, with weekly capacity of 19,096 seats in both directions.
In Madagascar, Emirates signed an agreement with the
Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts (MTH) aimed at supporting the country’s
ambition to attract one million tourists by 2028.
Joint advertising, incentives for tour operators and travel
agencies, tailored packages and familiarisation trips will form part of the
collaboration, with Madagascar promoted in key international markets.
Boosting tourism within the UAE
Emirates also renewed its partnership with the Sharjah
Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), extending cooperation
aimed at increasing tourism to Sharjah.
The agreement, signed by Emirates Deputy President and Chief
Commercial Officer Adnan Kazim and SCTDA Chairman Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, builds
on years of collaboration in markets including the GCC, India, China, Far East
Asia and Europe.
The two organisations have worked together on sales calls,
trade workshops, roadshows and familiarisation trips. Emirates has also
assisted SCTDA in markets where the authority does not have local
representation, while supporting MICE activities and trade visits to Sharjah.
The partnership forms part of Emirates’ broader efforts to
promote tourism across the UAE, working alongside tourism bodies including the
Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the Department of Culture and
Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism
Development Authority, said: “Renewing our partnership with Emirates is a
strategic step in advancing Sharjah’s tourism agenda and consolidating the
emirate’s position as a distinctive, year-round destination at the heart of the
UAE’s tourism landscape. Aviation partnerships of this calibre are central to
how Sharjah competes globally: Emirates’ worldwide network, market intelligence
and deep relationships with the international travel trade give the emirate
direct access to high-value source markets and enable us to convert that reach
into seamless, enriching itineraries for visitors.”
New opportunities in Asia and Europe
Emirates and Tourism Malaysia have also renewed their
partnership through a one-year MoU supporting the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027
campaign, which aims to attract 47 million international visitors.
The agreement will explore joint advertising and marketing
campaigns, as well as familiarisation trips for media and travel-trade
representatives. Malaysia will be promoted through Emirates’ global network,
supported by 21 weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Dubai and onward
connectivity through Emirates’ codeshare partnership with Batik Air.
In Europe, Emirates has signed an MoU with Visit Finland to
strengthen cooperation and increase inbound tourism from markets across its
network.
The airline will begin operating flights to Helsinki from 1
October, creating the only year-round connectivity between Finland and the UAE.
The new service is expected to open additional opportunities for travel and
tourism between Finland, the UAE and other markets served by Emirates.
The partnership will focus on strategic regions including
East and Southeast Asia, West Asia, Australasia, the Middle East and Africa.
Emirates and Visit Finland will also develop programmes for tour operators and
trade partners.
The agreement will promote year-round travel across Finland,
highlighting the country’s four major tourism regions, from the summer
landscapes of Lakeland and the Coast and Archipelago to winter experiences in
Lapland and the urban attractions and sauna culture of Helsinki.
Emirates will also work with Fjord Norway, the official
tourism board for Western Norway, to increase inbound tourism to the region.
The partnership reflects the airline’s wider role in connecting Norwegian
destinations with its global network.
Technology and retail partnerships
Beyond tourism promotion, Emirates used ATM 2026 to
reinforce partnerships designed to improve the passenger experience.
The airline renewed its strategic partnership with Huawei,
strengthening cooperation in China across marketing, digital innovation and
customer experience.
The agreement builds on initiatives introduced since 2020,
including the integration of the Emirates App into Huawei’s ecosystem and joint
marketing campaigns. The renewed MoU will focus on deeper brand engagement in
China, personalised digital travel solutions and new media opportunities.
The partnership comes as Emirates continues to expand its
presence in China, including through network growth, the return of A380
services and the introduction of Premium Economy.
Emirates has also signed an agreement with Dubai Duty Free
(DDF) offering passengers travelling to or through Dubai exclusive offers at
DDF outlets across Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3.
The agreement, signed by Emirates Vice President, Commercial
Products, Dubai, Mohammad Al Hashimi, and DDF Senior Vice President – Human
Resources Mona Al Ali, aims to add value to the passenger journey while
supporting Dubai’s tourism and aviation sectors.
Together, the agreements announced at ATM 2026 highlight Emirates’ focus on combining global connectivity with destination marketing, digital innovation and enhanced services as it seeks to support tourism growth across its network. -TradeArabia News Service
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