The Saudi Ministry of Tourism has officially entered into a strategic partnership with WTM Spotlight Riyadh for its inaugural event. This collaboration highlights a mutual dedication to boosting tourism growth, fostering global cooperation, and advancing the targets outlined in Saudi Vision 2030. The partnership represents a major milestone for the event, emphasizing the Kingdom's expanding footprint in the international travel sector.
Scheduled to run from September 8 to 10, 2026, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC), the debut edition of WTM Spotlight Riyadh aims to bridge the gap between global markets and Saudi Arabia. The event is set to gather a diverse array of participants, including tourism authorities, destinations, hospitality brands, airlines, travel technology firms, investors, and consumers. Together, these stakeholders will explore emerging business avenues within the country's rapidly developing tourism market.
Under the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, the tourism sector has emerged as a crucial driver of economic diversification. The national strategy aims for tourism to generate 10 percent of the Kingdom's gross domestic product (GDP) and draw 150 million international and domestic visitors per year by 2030. According to recent data from the Ministry of Tourism, the country continues to see steady upward momentum in both visitor arrivals and overall tourism expenditures.
As a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) platform, WTM Spotlight Riyadh is structured to bolster the Kingdom's inbound tourism goals while simultaneously offering international travel enterprises direct access to Saudi Arabia's premium outbound sector. The exhibition is anticipated to host global travel executives, international hosted buyers, and exhibitors from across the globe.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director, UAE, RX, stated that the strategic alliance with the Ministry of Tourism marks a pivotal step for the event, mirroring the country's drive to influence the global tourism landscape. Curtis noted that the platform is engineered to facilitate business connections, stimulate the sharing of industry ideas, and provide direct access to an active tourism market, mirroring the scale of the Kingdom's ongoing sector transformation.
By facilitating investment and encouraging cross-border partnerships, the upcoming event is positioned to establish a sustainable foundation for the long-term advancement of Saudi Arabia's travel sector, aligning with its broader national economic development goals.
