SHARJAH, UAE- Travel can challenge assumptions, deepen empathy and reveal the connections that unite people across cultures, popular Arab travel content creators Kasem Hato and Mohamad Sabbagh told audiences at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026).
During the session ‘How Does Travel Content Spark Our Curiosity About People and Cultures?’, the two influencers shared experiences that shaped their understanding of different societies, emphasising that compelling travel stories emerge from genuine curiosity rather than the pursuit of online trends.
Palestinian-Jordanian travel creator Kasem Hato, popularly known as Ibn Hattuta, said authentic storytelling begins with a traveller’s personal interest in discovering a destination and sharing that experience with others.
Recalling a 13-day road trip around Iceland, he described the country’s extraordinary landscapes, active lava flows and rock formations as resembling another planet.
Mohamad Al Sabbaggh
His encounters with Tanzania’s Hadza community, one of the world’s remaining hunter-gatherer societies, offered a different perspective on how people adapt their daily lives and priorities to their natural environment.
Yet some of his most meaningful experiences came from simple human interactions. Spending an hour drinking tea with a shopkeeper in Afghanistan, he recalled, demonstrated how friendship and mutual respect can develop across cultural differences.
Dubai and Amman-based travel and lifestyle creator Mohamad Sabbagh, who has more than 1.3 million Instagram followers, reflected on how visiting Bangladesh exposed him to stark differences in living conditions and challenged assumptions shaped by modern comforts.
“It breaks the insulated bubble of modern comfort, instills a profound gratitude in us, and shows what constitutes real adversity,” he observed.
Sabbagh also discussed his experiences navigating densely populated countries such as India and China, describing them as opportunities to appreciate how diverse communities coexist and manage everyday life.
Both creators agreed that beneath differences in language, customs and lifestyles, people share fundamental emotions and a capacity for warmth and human connection.
They also reflected on the less predictable side of travel, from misplaced passports and difficult border crossings to quarantine and logistical setbacks. Rather than viewing such experiences solely as obstacles, they described them as opportunities to develop resilience, adaptability and problem-solving skills.
The discussion highlighted how independent travel and authentic storytelling can encourage audiences to look beyond familiar surroundings, question preconceived ideas and approach other cultures with greater curiosity and understanding.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026) runs from November 4 to 15 at Expo Centre Sharjah under the theme ‘Made of Stories’, with the Sultanate of Oman as Guest of Honour. The fair brings together 3,212 publishers and exhibitors from 126 countries, showcasing more than 1.7 million titles. Its programme features 1,500 cultural, creative and artistic events, with 106 guests from 25 countries.
