CruiseXplore, the Middle East’s cruise specialist, participated in Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 for the second consecutive year, bringing together an impressive portfolio of international cruise partners spanning contemporary family-friendly holidays and premium cruising to intimate ultra-luxury voyages, expedition adventures and immersive river journeys.

The company’s presence at ATM 2026 reflected the continued evolution of the cruise market in the Middle East, with growing interest among travel trade professionals in diverse, experience-led cruise holidays and access to unique and less-explored destinations.

CruiseXplore exhibited alongside a distinguished group of cruise line partners, including Quark Expeditions, Scenic Cruises, Emerald Cruises & Tours, Polar Latitudes Expeditions, Hurtigruten, Seabourn, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises.

CruiseXplore witnessed strong and growing interest in cruise holidays among trade visitors at ATM 2026.

Travel agents were particularly keen to expand the range of cruise products they can offer their clients, with conversations increasingly focused on unique destinations, differentiated experiences and products that cater to evolving traveller preferences.

Travel agents also welcomed CruiseXplore’s competitive promotions, seamless online booking capabilities and reliable helpdesk support, which enable them to sell cruise holidays to their clients with greater confidence.

At ATM 2026, CruiseXplore CEO Lakshmi Durai participated in the panel discussion, “Small Ships, Big Opportunities: Cruise’s Experience-Led Growth Market.” The session explored the expanding potential of small-ship cruising and the role of experience-led travel in creating new opportunities for the travel industry.

Highlighting the changing dynamics of cruise demand and the growing appeal of more specialised cruise experiences, Durai said, “While contemporary cruise brands offering family-focused cruises continue to see strong demand in the market, it is interesting to see the growing preference for experience-led journeys that go beyond the familiar. In particular, there is increasing demand for ultra-luxury small-ship cruises that sail to unique and less explored destinations. We have also seen a significant rise in demand for expedition and river cruises over the past couple of years.”

The trend is also reflected in CruiseXplore’s own booking performance. According to the company, ultra-luxury cruise bookings have doubled compared with the previous year, while bookings for river and expedition cruises combined have tripled.

“These booking trends clearly indicate the growing interest among travellers in more specialised and experiential cruise holidays, beyond the traditional family cruise offering,” Durai added.

As the cruise sector continues to diversify, travel agents are playing an important role in introducing clients to new cruise styles and helping travellers navigate an increasingly broad choice of destinations, ships and experiences. CruiseXplore’s focus on product diversity, trade education and support, technology and specialist expertise is designed to help agents respond to this demand with greater confidence.

“ATM 2026 was a valuable opportunity for CruiseXplore to reconnect with our trade partners from across the region, understand their evolving needs, and explore how we can continue supporting them in growing their cruise business,” said Durai. -TradeArabia News Service