Qatar Airways Blends Culture with Immersive VR Innovation

Qatar Airways marked the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai 2025 with a standout showcase that captured the spotlight at the event.

The airline’s experience stand centred around cultural resonance, immersive innovation, and the evolving needs of today’s Arab traveller, reinforcing Qatar Airways’ leadership in reshaping the future of digital travel in the region and beyond.

At the heart of the experience was Sama, the world’s first AI digital human cabin crew — now equipped to understand Arabic dialects and respond fluently in Modern Standard Arabic, allowing travellers across the Arab world to interact with her naturally and effortlessly.

Sama engaged with visitors at the stand, assisting them with flight bookings, destination recommendations, and responding to questions about Qatar Airways’ products and services through intuitive, real-time conversation.

Offering a digital experience built around familiarity and cultural nuance, the Arabic-speaking version of Sama is now available across Qatar Airways’ digital platforms, including the airline’s award-winning mobile application and its immersive web experience, QVerse. This newly introduced feature reaffirms Qatar Airways’ commitment to serving passengers with a personalised and regionally relevant approach.

The ORCHARD in the QVerse also made its debut at ATM 2025 with a hyper-realistic virtual recreation of the iconic indoor garden at Hamad International Airport. Visitors walked beneath the trees, explored the tranquil space, and experienced the calm, nature-inspired environment that awaits them at the multi-award-winning airport. The fully immersive experience allowed attendees to preview part of their journey in vivid detail, making the unfamiliar feel familiar — long before their departure.

Qatar Airways also showcased Qsuite Next Gen, the latest iteration of its award-winning patented Qsuite business class. Visitors were invited to step inside the reimagined Qsuite and explore its wide range of customisation options designed to deliver a personalised, premium travel experience.

Complementing the Qsuite Next Gen was the airline’s multi-sensory pod — an enclosed experience that engaged guests through visuals, audio, scent, and motion, bringing the Qsuite atmosphere to life in a fully immersive format.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “We, at Qatar Airways, are proud to return to ATM with industry innovations that reflect the diversity and spirit of our region. Sama, the industry’s first AI powered cabin crew can now connect with millions of Arabic speaking passengers through various dialects — offering travellers across the Arab world a more intuitive and personal way to communicate with us. The ORCHARD in VR, Qsuite Next Gen, and our multi-sensory pod are all part of how Qatar Airways is shaping a future of travel that is not only digital, but also deeply human.

“Our focus on fostering a thriving future for the travel industry also extends to our new B2B partnerships with the Visit Maldives and Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to promote leading global leisure destinations.”

On the sidelines of ATM Dubai 2025, Qatar Airways signed new Memoranda of Understanding with Visit Maldives and Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism to boost visitor arrivals via the multiple-award-winning Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, and explore new opportunities for tourism promotion through various leisure channels in key markets.

In line with the airline’s growth strategy and this year’s ATM theme, Qatar Airways also confirmed increased flights to several key destinations for the peak summer season, including Dar Es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Entebbe, Tokyo Narita, Maputo, Durban, Larnaca, Trabzon, Sharjah, Manchester, Madrid, Lisbon, and London Heathrow      

Qatar Airways is welcoming visitors at stand ME1420, between Halls 3 and 4, at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 1 May 2025.