The partnership marks an important milestone for WTM Spotlight Riyadh, promoting Saudi Arabia’s growing influence within the global travel industry. It also underscores the event’s role as a meeting place for international tourism leaders looking to engage with one of the world’s fastest-growing travel markets.
Taking place from 8–10 September 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC), WTM Spotlight Riyadh has been created to connect the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world.
The event will bring together destinations, tourism authorities, hospitality providers, airlines, travel technology companies, investors, consumers, and industry leaders to explore new business opportunities across the Kingdom’s expanding tourism sector and underscore a shared focus on supporting the next phase of the Kingdom’s tourism growth.
The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia continues to strengthen its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. Under Vision 2030, tourism has become a key pillar of the Kingdom’s economic diversification strategy, with the sector targeted to contribute 10% of GDP while welcoming 150 million domestic and international visitors annually by the end of the decade. Recent figures released by the Ministry of Tourism highlight continued growth in both visitor numbers and tourism spending, underlining the strong momentum behind the Kingdom’s tourism ambitions.
The partnership with WTM Spotlight Riyadh reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to working closely with the global travel community to support sustainable tourism development, attract investment and advance the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030 as we continue to position Saudi Arabia as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.
The inaugural edition of WTM Spotlight Riyadh is expected to bring together visitors and exhibitors from around the world, including global travel and tourism leaders and international hosted buyers. The event will provide a platform to support Saudi Arabia’s inbound tourism ambitions, while enabling international travel businesses to access the Kingdom’s high-value outbound market. Designed as a B2B2C platform spanning the travel and tourism ecosystem, WTM Spotlight Riyadh will establish a foundation for the event’s long-term growth in Saudi Arabia, supporting the Kingdom’s broader tourism objectives under Vision 2030.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director, UAE, RX, said: “Our strategic partnership with the Ministry of Tourism is a defining moment for the inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh and reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to play an even greater role in shaping the future of global tourism. We are proud to be working alongside the Ministry to create an event that brings together decision-makers from across the international travel industry and supports Saudi Arabia’s long-term tourism ambitions.
“WTM Spotlight Riyadh has been designed to create meaningful business connections, encourage the exchange of ideas and provide international travel professionals with direct access to one of the world’s most exciting tourism markets. Together with the Ministry, we are building an event that reflects the ambition and scale of Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation.”
Aligned with Vision 2030, WTM Spotlight Riyadh will support the Kingdom’s continued development as a global tourism destination by encouraging investment, strengthening international partnerships and creating new opportunities for collaboration across the travel industry.
