EXPO 2030 RIYADH 6 MONTHS October 1, 2030 – March 31, 2031 42MN+ Expected visits 197 Participating nations 230+ Pavi l ions ~6M SQM Total Expo site 171,000 Direct and indirect jobs expected 55,000+ Housing units planned in the legacy district 150,000 Residents planned for the post-Expo global village Source: Expo 2030 Riyadh visitor management in Riyadh, all of which will have value long after the Expo closes. The site has been designed with longevity of purpose. The Expo Convention Centre will be a major anchor, while the wider district will continue beyond 2031 as a permanent hub for innovation, culture and business collaboration. The planned legacy also includes 55,000-plus housing units, cultural and entertainment venues, business districts and research institutions, with capacity for 150,000 residents and around 60,000 daily visitors. Expo 2030 is also expected to support 171,000 direct and indirect jobs. For the meetings sector, the legacy could be substantial. Delivering a six-month gathering for almost 200 nations will expand local expertise in security, protocol, event technology, logistics, hospitality, production and international partnerships. The permanent convention and business
KAFD adds premium corporate and conference facilities in the financial core, while hotels, cultural districts and major developments around Diriyah and Qiddiya broaden the options for dinners, incentives, launches and executive gatherings. Transport investment is making the city easier to navigate at scale. Riyadh Metro’s six lines cover 176km and 85 stations, with designed capacity of around 3.6 million passengers a day. The network links major commercial and institutional areas with King Khalid International Airport and KAFD. Longer term, King Salman International Airport is planned as a 57sq km, six-runway global gateway with capacity for up to 120 million travellers a year by 2030 and 185 million by 2050. If you are an event planner, these projects seal the deal because event capacity extends far beyond the hall. A successful global meeting needs seats on aircraft, hotel rooms across several price points, fast movement around the city, restaurants, production suppliers, entertainment and places where delegates can continue conversations after the programme finishes. Riyadh is building those layers at the same time, while its growing leisure offer gives business travellers more reason to extend a stay. EXPO 2030 – A GLOBAL STAGE WITH A LONG LEGACY Expo 2030 Riyadh will take that capability to another level. Running from October 1, 2030 to March 31, 2031, the six-month World Expo is expected to generate more than 42 million visits across a site of around six million square metres, with 197 participating nations and more than 230 pavilions. Its theme, Foresight for Tomorrow, is organised around transformational technology, sustainable solutions and prosperous people. The timing carries particular weight, with Expo organisers describing 2030 as the culmination of Vision 2030, providing a global stage for Saudi Arabia to present the progress made across its economic, social and cultural agenda. It also creates an operating deadline for transport, hospitality, public realm, event services and international
assets can then feed future bids for association congresses, corporate events and exhibitions. Millions of delegates, business leaders and international organisations will experience Riyadh first-hand too, giving the capital visibility with the audiences that decide where major meetings go next. Expo also strengthens the wider destination proposition. Its masterplan includes shaded routes, landscaped public spaces and strong public-transport connectivity, while the programme combines pavilions, exhibitions, cultural events, performances and daily dialogue. That mix gives international visitors a six-month reason to come to Riyadh and offers the city a global showcase for the broader visitor economy developing around it. A MEETING PLACE BEFORE 2030 Riyadh does not have to wait for Expo to build those relationships. The inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh arrives at RFECC from September 8-10, 2026, connecting international destinations, venues and suppliers with Saudi travel buyers, planners and industry stakeholders. Its focus reflects the breadth of the opportunity, including MICE: Saudi Arabia is looking to attract more international business events, while growing corporate activity is also driving demand for overseas meetings and incentive travel. Fairmont Riyadh and Fairmont Ramla, the event’s Official Hotel Partners, will welcome international buyers, exhibitors, speakers and delegates attending the inaugural edition, providing an opportunity to showcase Saudi hospitality. WTM Spotlight Riyadh adds another international fixture to a calendar that is becoming increasingly important to the city’s ambitions. As Expo 2030 approaches, every major event hosted in the capital strengthens local expertise, supplier capability and confidence in Riyadh as a business-events destination. The goal is not to fill the calendar; Riyadh is building the infrastructure, connectivity and industry depth to become a city where global business comes together regularly.
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