Heritage Express Trolley Bus, the “Moving Majlis”,
Discovering Dubai through the people, stories and traditions that shaped the city
This is the Dubai that Heritage Express invites visitors to discover.
At Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, held from 14 to 17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre, Heritage Express brought this living heritage to the international travel trade with a distinctive presence at Stand ME 1150, Booth 98. At the heart of its presentation was one of its most recognisable creations: the Heritage Express Trolley Bus, affectionately presented as the “Moving Majlis.”
And it is much more than a vehicle.
The customised heritage trolley brings the spirit of the traditional Emirati majlis onto the streets of Dubai, transforming a journey through the city into an opportunity for conversation, storytelling, hospitality and cultural exchange. Traditionally, the majlis has been a place where people gather, welcome guests, share stories and discuss life. Heritage Express takes that spirit and puts it in motion.
The result is a unique cultural experience where the journey itself becomes part of the destination.
A Majlis That Moves
Step aboard the Heritage Express Trolley Bus and the conventional idea of sightseeing begins to change.
Rather than simply passing historic buildings and landmarks behind a window, visitors are invited to connect with the stories behind them. The experience is brought to life by Emirati Cultural Ambassadors, who share personal insights, historical knowledge and stories that help visitors understand the Dubai that existed long before today’s modern metropolis.
It is a different way to see the city — one where heritage is not simply something preserved behind glass or displayed in a museum, but something that can be heard, discussed and experienced.
The “Moving Majlis” became a particularly striking presence at ATM 2026, providing visitors with an immediate visual introduction to Heritage Express and its philosophy: that some of Dubai’s most memorable experiences are found not only in its famous attractions, but in the people and traditions that give the city its identity.
Meeting the People Behind Dubai
Heritage Express experiences are designed around a simple but powerful idea: the best way to understand a place is to connect with its people.
Its carefully curated programmes take visitors beyond conventional sightseeing and into the cultural heart of Dubai.
The portfolio includes Culture on Wheels, The Emirati Hospitality Experience, Story of Dubai, and Culture on Wheels: Al Shindagha Museum. Journeys can connect visitors with some of the city’s most significant heritage locations, including Al Fahidi, Dubai Creek, Al Shindagha and Jumeirah Mosque Majlis.
Along the way, visitors encounter stories of a Dubai shaped by the sea, the desert, trade, family, community and hospitality.
The experience provides an opportunity to discover how a small trading community evolved into one of the world’s most dynamic cities — while retaining a strong connection to its cultural roots.
From ATM to the World
For Heritage Express, ATM 2026 was more than an exhibition appearance. It was an opportunity to introduce international travel professionals to a side of Dubai that can add depth and meaning to almost any itinerary.
The event brought together DMCs, tour operators, TMCs, wholesalers, OTAs, MICE planners, hotels and travel partners from around the world. Heritage Express used the platform to develop relationships and demonstrate how authentic Emirati cultural experiences can complement Dubai’s established tourism offering.
The experiences are suitable for a wide range of travellers — from FITs and families to groups, corporate travellers, educational visitors and premium delegations.
For travel designers looking to create itineraries with a genuine sense of place, Heritage Express offers something different: an opportunity to slow down, listen and engage.
Because sometimes the most powerful travel memories are not created by seeing more, but by understanding more.
A Partnership Built on Understanding
Heritage Express works in proud partnership with the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU), an organisation dedicated to encouraging cultural understanding and dialogue.
This partnership reflects the philosophy at the heart of the Heritage Express experience: culture is best understood through openness, conversation and first-hand encounters.
Visitors are encouraged to ask questions, share perspectives and engage directly with Emirati culture. The result is an experience that feels personal rather than purely observational.
It is heritage with a human face.
Discover the Dubai Beyond the Skyline
Dubai has become synonymous with innovation, luxury and extraordinary modern attractions. But its story did not begin with skyscrapers.
It began with people.
It began with families gathering in majlis, fishermen heading out onto the Creek, traders building relationships across the region and communities developing traditions that continue to influence life in the Emirates today.
That history remains visible in the old neighbourhoods, waterways, mosques, homes and cultural districts that form another layer of the city.
Heritage Express opens the door to that Dubai.
The Moving Majlis captures the concept beautifully. It takes a traditional symbol of Emirati hospitality and brings it into the modern city, creating a space where past and present meet while the streets of Dubai become the backdrop.
For international visitors, it can be an introduction to a Dubai they may never have encountered before. For travel professionals, it represents an opportunity to add authentic cultural depth to their programmes. And for anyone curious about the soul of the city, it offers a chance to experience Dubai through the voices and stories of the people who call it home.
Because behind every landmark is a story.
Behind every neighbourhood is a memory.
And behind modern Dubai is a remarkable heritage waiting to be discovered.
Heritage Express doesn’t simply take you around Dubai. It invites you to meet the Dubai behind the journey.
ABOUT HERITAGE EXPRESS
Heritage Express is a Dubai-based cultural experience brand offering immersive journeys into Emirati heritage aboard its distinctive traditional trolleys and through curated heritage programmes.
Combining Emirati storytelling, historic landmarks, cultural dialogue and genuine hospitality, Heritage Express gives visitors an opportunity to discover the human story of Dubai — connecting the city’s remarkable past with the vibrant destination it has become today.
Website: www.heritageexpress.com
Tel: 800 9777
