Alina Shliakhtova is a UAE-based MICE professional and General Manager of Atravel, a destination management company operating across the GCC. For more than two decades, she has worked with international groups, complex logistics, incentive travel, and large-scale event operations in the Middle East. Her professional focus lies at the intersection of destination strategy, operational reality, and market adaptation during periods of uncertainty. Through her contributions to EventMag.Me, she explores how the GCC MICE industry actually functions behind the scenes — beyond promotional narratives and standard destination marketing.