• EDITOR’S FOREWORD
Saudi takes the spotlight The inaugural edition of Spotlight Riyadh captures a compelling two-way tourism story, as Saudi welcomes the world and its own travellers discover it
RIYADH SPOTLIGHT
Published by GT Media ME Ltd
SCAN QR CODE TO VIEW DIGITAL EDITION
2 0-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU. United Kingdom +44 207 9812579 www.gtmediame.com Contacts Publisher Khaled Algaay ENVELOPE kalgaay@gtmediame.com Editorial Director: Gemma Greenwood ENVELOPE gemma@gtmediame.com Publishing Consultant Lucie Winter ENVELOPE lucie.winter@gtmediame.com Director of Markets: Beth Thomas ENVELOPE beth.thomas@gtmediame.com Partnerships Manager: Hayley Field ENVELOPE hayley.field@gtmediame.com
S audi Arabia’s rise in tourism has been remarkable, even by the standards of a country known for thinking at scale. An OECD comparison of 53 countries identified it as the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination, with international arrivals in 2025 standing 67% above 2019 levels. It is a shift that has positioned the kingdom firmly on the global travel industry’s agenda. WTM Spotlight Riyadh and this inaugural publication have been created for this moment. Both are built around a market moving in two directions. Saudi Arabia is attracting growing international interest, while travellers based in the kingdom are becoming an increasingly influential outbound audience. The show brings domestic and international travel products, buyers, industry leaders and consumers together around that exchange, and the publication carries the same conversation forward. The story reaches across aviation, hospitality, investment, technology, culture and the changing expectations of travellers. What connects those elements is the speed and intent with which Saudi Arabia is building its tourism economy. Backed by US$800 billion in tourism and infrastructure investment, the kingdom has the opportunity to develop integrated tourism ecosystems at scale rather than add destinations and attractions piecemeal. Transport, hotels, culture, entertainment, nature, communities and digital services can be considered together from the outset, creating places designed for the way people want to travel now and in the decades ahead. That freedom to start with a clean sheet is also helping Saudi Arabia take the lead in areas that will matter far beyond its borders. AI is moving into the practical business of travel, from visas and visitor planning to operations and destination management. Responsible tourism is being embedded from the outset through conservation, heritage protection and community participation and engagement. For the international industry, that creates a rare combination. Saudi Arabia is a destination to discover, a source market to understand and a place where new models for tourism are being tested at extraordinary scale. The kingdom has never been shy of thinking big, but now the world is watching, visiting and, increasingly, taking notes.
DISCLAIMER Spotlight Riyadh, an official WTM Spotlight Riyadh publication, is published by GT Media ME Ltd. The publisher, editor and contributors reserve their rights in regards to copyright of their work. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. No person, organisation or party should rely or on any way act upon any part of the contents of this publication without first obtaining the advice of a fully qualified person. This publication and related products are sold and distributed on the terms and condition that: • The publisher, contributors, editors and related parties are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken any person, organisation or any party on basis of reading information, stories or contributions in this publication, or related products. • The publisher, contributors and related parties are not engaged in providing legal, financial or professional advice or services. The publisher, contributors and editors disclaim any and all liability and
The publisher, editors, contributors and related parties shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party. Spotlight Riyadh is published by GT Media ME Ltd under licence from Reed Exhibitions Limited. The copyright in the design and content of Spotlight Riyadh is owned by GT Media ME Ltd, Reed Exhibitions Limited and its licensors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, by any means – electronic, photocopying or otherwise – without the prior written permission of Reed Exhibitions Limited. All Exhibitors’ entries have been supplied by the companies listed in Spotlight Riyadh, and while great care has been taken to ensure that the details are correct, neither Reed Exhibitions Limited nor the publisher of Spotlight Riyadh, accepts responsibility for any error, omission or claims made in Spotlight Riyadh, or at the exhibition. The WTM Spolight Riyadh logo is a trademark of Reed Exhibitions Limited. RELX Group, RE symbol, Reed Exhibitions and Reed Travel Exhibitions are trademarks of RELX Group plc.
GEMMA GREENWOOD Editorial Director, Travel & Tourism, GT Media ME Ltd
6 | SPOTLIGHT RIYADH or consumer of this publication or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication and related products. responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser
PLEASE RECYCLE
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator