Event to bring together international travel leaders as Saudi Arabia advances Vision 2030 tourism ambitions
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: WTM Spotlight Riyadh will place tourism resilience, investment and international collaboration at the centre of discussions when it debuts from 8–10 September 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, bringing together global tourism leaders, destinations, buyers and travel businesses to explore the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving tourism landscape.
Designed as a B2B2C platform, the event will connect Saudi tourism stakeholders with international partners while showcasing investment opportunities across aviation, hospitality, destination development and travel technology.
The conference programme will examine the continued expansion of Saudi Arabia’s tourism and hospitality sector, underpinned by strong domestic demand, large-scale infrastructure investments and growing international connectivity. It will also highlight research into how destinations recover from crises and build long-term resilience.
According to data from STR, Jeddah has experienced sustained tourism demand since March 2026, prompting the hospitality analytics firm to revise its growth outlook upward and forecast continued momentum through 2027. STR also expects Riyadh’s major tourism and infrastructure developments to accelerate demand recovery, with the capital projected to return to 2025 demand levels by February 2027.
The event comes as Saudi Arabia continues to post strong tourism performance. According to the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom welcomed 37.2 million visitors during the first quarter of 2026, representing an 8% increaseover the corresponding period in 2025. Tourism expenditure reached SAR 82.7 billion, while domestic tourism grew 16%, reflecting rising demand for the country’s expanding portfolio of attractions and experiences.
Saudi Arabia also recorded nearly 123 million domestic and international visitors in 2025, generating more than SAR 304 billion in tourism spending and achieving several Vision 2030 tourism milestones ahead of schedule.
Commenting on the event, Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director, UAE at RX, said Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry exemplifies the sector’s ability to adapt and grow despite global challenges.
“Tourism has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary ability to recover, adapt and grow, even in the face of significant challenges. Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is an excellent example of this resilience. Supported by Vision 2030 and continued investment in tourism infrastructure, aviation, hospitality and visitor experiences, the Kingdom has built a robust ecosystem that continues to generate growth, attract investment and create opportunities across the travel value chain.”
She added that WTM Spotlight Riyadh will provide an important platform for industry stakeholders to forge new partnerships, exchange knowledge and unlock business opportunities across regional and international markets.
The event will also feature research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), developed in collaboration with George Washington University and Chemonics International. The study examines how destinations recover from periods of disruption and concludes that destinations investing during crises generally emerge stronger.
According to the report, none of the destinations analysed experienced a permanent collapse following a crisis, with leadership, investment and collaboration identified as the primary drivers of successful recovery.
Ibrahim Osta, Senior Economic Growth Director & Global Tourism Lead at Chemonics International, said:
“Recovery doesn’t just happen—it’s a decision. The destinations that came back fastest are the ones that made the bold decision to invest at the height of the crisis, protected their businesses and controlled their own narrative when everyone else went quiet. That is not luck. That is leadership.”
Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its tourism ecosystem through sustained investments in aviation and hospitality. According to the General Authority for Statistics, the Kingdom’s airports handled 140.9 million passengers in 2025, while its aviation network expanded to serve 176 international destinations.
The government is also investing heavily in airport infrastructure, hotel development, tourism attractions and visitor experiences as part of its strategy to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh is expected to welcome more than 6,500 regional and international attendees, including 150 hosted buyers, alongside tourism boards, airlines, hospitality companies, travel technology providers, attractions and transport operators.
The three-day event will feature pre-arranged business meetings, networking sessions and conference discussions focused on tourism investment, destination development, connectivity and international cooperation, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.
