Sabre Named Strategic Partner as ATM 2026 Spotlights AI-Driven Future of Travel

Global travel technology company Sabre has been confirmed as the official ATM Travel Tech Strategic Partner for the 2026 edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), as the international travel industry prepares to explore the growing influence of artificial intelligence, data and digital transformation.

The partnership will see Sabre play a prominent role at ATM Travel Tech, a dedicated co-located event taking place alongside Arabian Travel Market from September 14 to 17, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Organisers said the collaboration reinforces ATM 2026’s focus on technology and innovation at a time when travel businesses around the world are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency, strengthen business resilience and deliver more connected and personalised experiences for travellers.

ATM 2026 will be held under the theme, “Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology”, with ATM Travel Tech bringing together technology providers, innovators and travel businesses to examine developments expected to shape the future of global tourism.

Sabre said the travel industry was entering a new phase in the adoption of artificial intelligence, moving beyond systems that merely provide recommendations towards so-called agentic AI capable of taking action and managing increasingly complex travel journeys in real time.

Chad Callaghan, Director of Product Marketing at Sabre, said travellers were primarily concerned with having seamless journeys rather than the complex technology operating behind the scenes.

“Travellers don’t think about the technology behind a trip; they simply expect it to work,” Callaghan said. “As AI moves from providing answers to taking action, Sabre’s role is to provide the trusted, enterprise-grade technology that connects those experiences to the systems that power travel. That means turning intent into journeys that can actually be searched, booked, and serviced.”

According to Sabre, the shift represents a broader transformation in the way artificial intelligence is being deployed across the travel industry, with the emphasis moving from simply generating better answers to delivering improved outcomes for travellers.

The company said interest in its agentic AI infrastructure was already growing rapidly. Sabre disclosed that it doubled the number of active pilot and production partners using its Agentic APIs and Model Context Protocol (MCP) server from 30 in the first quarter to more than 60 in the second quarter.

Sabre explained that its MCP server serves as a secure translation layer between third-party AI agents and complex travel systems, allowing autonomous systems to conduct searches, make bookings and provide servicing using live enterprise inventory.

The technology company said its artificial intelligence capabilities, supported by predictive intelligence and large-scale travel data, were also helping airlines, hotels and travel sellers improve efficiency while enhancing the overall customer experience.

Sabre’s technology currently processes more than 11 billion shopping requests every month and approximately 14,000 transactions every second. 

The company also draws on more than 50 petabytes of travel data to help travel providers anticipate market changes, respond to shifts in demand and develop more personalised experiences for customers.

The developments are expected to form a major part of discussions at ATM Travel Tech, which will debut this year as a dedicated co-located event within Arabian Travel Market.

More than 180 exhibitors from around the world are expected to participate, showcasing innovations across artificial intelligence, robotics, immersive technologies, financial technology and smart mobility.

Organisers said the event reflects the increasingly central role of technology across virtually every segment of the global travel ecosystem.

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE at RX Global, said technology had become fundamental to business decision-making throughout the travel industry.

“Technology is now central to almost every business decision being made across the travel industry, making it essential that ATM brings together the organisations driving that change,” Curtis said.

She described Sabre as a natural partner for ATM Travel Tech, noting the company’s longstanding role in the evolution of travel technology.

“Sabre has played an important role in the evolution of travel technology, making them a natural partner for ATM Travel Tech,” she said. “Their expertise will add significant value to the discussions taking place across the Future Stage and Tech & Innovation Hub as we explore our theme, ‘Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology’.”

Curtis said Arabian Travel Market would provide a meeting point for technology leaders, travel companies and policymakers to exchange ideas, address common challenges and identify opportunities likely to influence the industry over the coming decades.

At the centre of ATM Travel Tech will be the Future Stage, where industry experts and organisations will examine how artificial intelligence, automation, data intelligence and other digital technologies are being deployed to improve decision-making, enhance customer experiences and strengthen commercial performance.

Sessions involving organisations including Dragon Trail and Videc are expected to focus on areas such as AI-powered destination marketing, digital transformation and investment within the travel technology sector.

Meanwhile, the Tech & Innovation Hub will give visitors the opportunity to experience some of the emerging technologies through live demonstrations and immersive showcases.

ATM Travel Tech forms part of the wider Arabian Travel Market 2026, which will bring together destinations, hospitality brands, airlines, technology providers and tourism professionals from different parts of the world.

The September event is expected to provide a platform for discussions on the trends, partnerships and technological innovations shaping global travel, while examining both the opportunities and challenges confronting the tourism industry as it moves towards an increasingly digital and AI-driven future.

With artificial intelligence rapidly evolving from a tool that offers recommendations into systems capable of taking action on behalf of travellers, organisers said the partnership with Sabre would help place the technological transformation of the travel industry firmly at the centre of discussions at ATM 2026.