The Saudi Tourism Authority has cemented a two-year partnership with RX Global (Reed Exhibitions), organiser of the World Travel Market (WTM) Portfolio, with an agreement to become “global travel partner”.
RX Global runs all WTM trade shows, including WTM London, WTM Africa, WTM Latin America, and Arabian Travel Market (ATM). This strategic alliance heralds STA’s third successive year as a principal partner at WTM, following its “Premier Partner” status at WTM London for both 2021 and 2022. The two-year partnership, which is scheduled to run from November 2023 – September 2025 is designed to cover all events within the WTM brand. It underscores Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing prominence as a year-round tourism destination.
The agreement was formalised by STA and RX Global on the Saudi stand on 8 November, the closing day of WTM London, where STA led its largest tourism delegation to date, marking a significant 48% increase from the previous year. Over 75 stakeholders represented the Kingdom, underscoring the ambitious transformation underway and the rich cultural offerings of what is known as the authentic home of Arabia.
Throughout this year’s event, the STA delegation hosted bilateral meetings and took part in speaking and networking opportunities, with the STA CEO opening the WTM London main stage before delivering a keynote speech. There have also been a number of major announcements and partnership agreements unveiled at the show.
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “Saudi is the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination, outperforming every expectation and setting the pace globally. Thanks to Saudi’s tourism leadership, each year our presence at WTM London continues to grow, and we are welcoming more visitors than ever, well on track to reach our targets for 2030.”
Hamidaddin sees the partnership as a vehicle to enhance Saudi’s presence and foster more visits through a series of engaging promotional activities at WTM events. “Trade shows form a key part of our strategy of engaging with international trade partners – making the WTM sponsorship a perfect partnership for growth,” he added, anticipating fruitful engagements with global partners at future WTM shows.
Vasyl Zhygalo, WTM Portfolio Director, welcomed Saudi as the WTM Global Travel Partner, acknowledging the potential of WTM shows to facilitate Saudi’s sharing of its diverse tourism offerings with the world. “Saudi has ambitious targets to grow its tourism sector and our shows offer an unparalleled opportunity for Saudi to share its diverse range of tourism offerings and investment opportunities with key trade buyers and media from around the world,” he said.
The collaboration will feature new promotional activities to inspire visits to Saudi Arabia, including keynote speeches by STA CEO Fahd Hamidaddin at WTM London, an interactive stand, a “Experience Saudi” marketing campaign, and creative brand showcases throughout the event venue.
Since opening its doors to international visitors in 2019, STA has leveraged trade show participation as a pivotal element of its strategy. Its proactive engagement at WTM trade shows has resulted in numerous deals with key international trade partners.
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Read also: SAUDI ARABIA’S AMBITIOUS VISION UNDERLINED @ WTM
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Article by Gerard Lefebvre
