Riyadh Set to Host New Global Travel Summit as Tourism Ministry Joins WTM

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has been announced as the Strategic Partner for the inaugural edition of WTM Spotlight Riyadh, marking a major step in the Kingdom’s drive to position itself as a global tourism powerhouse under Vision 2030.

The partnership, unveiled on 2 September, brings together the Ministry and the organizers of the World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio to launch a new international travel event designed to strengthen collaboration between Saudi Arabia and the global tourism industry. The three-day exhibition will be held from 8–10 September 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center

According to the organizers, WTM Spotlight Riyadh has been created as a business-focused platform that will connect destinations, tourism authorities, airlines, hospitality companies, travel technology firms, investors and international buyers with opportunities across Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding tourism sector. The event is expected to serve both the Kingdom’s growing inbound tourism market and its increasingly valuable outbound travel industry.

The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia continues one of the world’s most ambitious tourism transformations. Under Vision 2030, tourism has become a central pillar of the Kingdom’s economic diversification strategy, with the government targeting 150 million domestic and international visitors annually and aiming for the sector to contribute 10% of national GDP by the end of the decade. Recent figures from the Ministry of Tourism point to sustained growth in visitor arrivals and tourism spending, reflecting the momentum behind those ambitions.

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director for RX, described the agreement as a defining moment for the new event, saying the partnership reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in shaping the future of global tourism. She said WTM Spotlight Riyadh is intended to create meaningful business connections, encourage the exchange of ideas and give international travel professionals direct access to one of the industry’s most dynamic emerging markets.

Beyond exhibitions and networking, the organizers say the event has been designed as a B2B2C platform spanning the entire travel ecosystem, creating long-term opportunities for investment, destination marketing and international partnerships. The inaugural edition is expected to attract exhibitors and hosted buyers from around the world, laying the foundation for WTM Spotlight Riyadh as a permanent fixture on the global travel calendar.

The partnership underscores a broader shift in Saudi Arabia’s global positioning, from an oil-driven economy to a destination increasingly competing for international leisure, business and investment travel. If successful, WTM Spotlight Riyadh could become one of the Kingdom’s most influential platforms for shaping regional tourism and strengthening its connections with the worldwide travel industry.