With Saudi Arabia reporting more than 122 million domestic and international visitors in 2025, the inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh has opened its gates, turning attention towards the Kingdom’s next challenge: converting spectacular growth into a resilient, connected and commercially sustainable tourism economy.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation is entering a new phase. Having established itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing visitor economies, the Kingdom is now concentrating on the quality, resilience and long-term value of that growth.
This transition is at the heart of the inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh, taking place from 8 to 10 September 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.
Created to “connect the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world,” the new event brings together destinations, tourism organisations, travel suppliers, buyers, investors, industry leaders and travellers through a distinctive B2B2C format.
Its launch reflects the remarkable speed with which Saudi Arabia’s tourism landscape has developed under Vision 2030. Investment in hotels, aviation, entertainment, cultural attractions and infrastructure has created an entirely new visitor economy—and an expanding range of opportunities for international travel professionals.
From rapid expansion to resilient growth
The conference programme goes beyond celebrating arrival figures and new projects. Its central theme is how Saudi tourism can build durable growth while maintaining traveller confidence and adapting to changing economic, operational and geopolitical conditions.
A high-level CEO panel brings together senior representatives from IHG Hotels & Resorts, Amsa Hospitality, Cruise Saudi and flyadeal to examine how hospitality, cruise and aviation businesses can create more agile and future-ready operations.
This is particularly important as the Kingdom moves from launching individual projects towards connecting them as part of a coherent national tourism ecosystem. For travellers—and the professionals designing their journeys—the success of this next phase will depend increasingly on smooth connections, reliable service and consistently high standards across the entire visitor experience.
A major outbound opportunity
Saudi Arabia is not only developing as an inbound destination. Its outbound travel market represents an equally significant commercial opportunity.
One of the event’s headline sessions defines this market as a $35 billion opportunity, examining how destinations, airlines, hotel groups and travel brands can convert Saudi demand into measurable business.
The message is clear: visibility alone will not be enough. International tourism businesses will need a deeper understanding of Saudi travellers, supported by appropriate products, strong local partnerships and sustained representation within the market.
For luxury travel advisors, this means moving beyond generic offers. Saudi clients increasingly expect flexibility, personalisation, privacy and seamless service, along with travel experiences that reflect their individual interests and family requirements.
Building tourism from the community upwards
As major destination developments continue to capture international attention, WTM Spotlight Riyadh is also considering how tourism can create value at a more local level.
A panel organised in partnership with Chemonics International and UN Tourism explores the development of community-based tourism and locally rooted visitor experiences.
Saudi Arabia’s regions contain an extraordinary variety of landscapes, traditions, architecture, cuisine and living heritage. Enabling local communities to participate in tourism can help protect this identity while distributing economic benefits more widely.
It also responds to a growing appetite among sophisticated international travellers for experiences that offer genuine encounters with a destination rather than a succession of conventional sightseeing stops.
The opportunity is therefore not simply to bring more visitors to Saudi Arabia, but to encourage them to travel further, stay longer and engage more meaningfully with the Kingdom’s diverse regions.
Innovation built into the ecosystem
Technology and entrepreneurship form another major pillar of the programme.
According to the event’s media guide, Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 122 million domestic and international visitors in 2025. Supporting demand on that scale requires powerful digital systems covering everything from inspiration and reservations to transport, visitor management and personalised services.
Unlike established destinations that must retrofit new technology into legacy infrastructure, many Saudi projects have been able to integrate digital solutions from their earliest planning stages.
An innovation showcase held in partnership with UN Tourism examines how sovereign investment, new destinations and a developing start-up ecosystem are positioning the Kingdom as a testing ground for tourism technology.
Representatives from UN Tourism, Red Sea Global and Saudi start-up EyeGo are among those exploring how innovation can improve both the traveller journey and the operational performance of tourism businesses.
Turning sporting attention into lasting demand
Saudi Arabia’s investment in international sport has already generated enormous global visibility. The next objective is to transform the audiences attracted by individual events into repeat visitors.
A dedicated sports tourism panel focuses on the relationship between major events, destination branding, city development and year-round demand.
The long-term value of an event does not end when the final competition is over. Carefully planned itineraries, stopovers and complementary cultural or leisure experiences can encourage spectators to discover more of the country—and return for a future visit.
For the travel trade, this creates opportunities to build richer programmes around sporting calendars rather than treating tickets and accommodation as isolated products.
Religious tourism beyond the pilgrimage
Religious travel remains one of Saudi Arabia’s strongest and most established tourism foundations. The Pilgrim Experience Program is working towards welcoming 30 million Umrah pilgrims by 2030.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh examines how better services, integrated mobility, digital systems and improved visitor management are reshaping the pilgrimage journey.
It also considers the wider potential of religious tourism. By connecting pilgrimage with cultural, heritage and hospitality experiences, the Kingdom can encourage longer stays while creating greater value for travellers and local businesses.
A marketplace for Saudi tourism’s next chapter
WTM Spotlight Riyadh arrives at a significant moment. Saudi Arabia has demonstrated that it can generate exceptional tourism growth and bring ambitious new destinations to market at remarkable speed.
The discussion is now becoming more sophisticated. The focus is shifting towards market access, connectivity, community participation, technological innovation and the ability to convert global attention into sustainable demand.
For international travel professionals, Saudi Arabia is no longer simply an emerging destination to watch. It is becoming a complex and increasingly influential tourism market that requires specialist knowledge, carefully designed products and strong relationships on the ground.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh provides a new meeting place in which those relationships—and the next chapter of the Kingdom’s tourism development—can take shape.
…
Read also: GCC tourism demand in 2026 shows resilience despite geopolitical uncertainty
