WTM Spotlight Riyadh, organised by RX, will open on September 8, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Centre, launching a new platform aimed at connecting Saudi Arabia with international travel markets as the Kingdom accelerates its tourism transformation under Vision 2030.

Running from September 8–10 , the inaugural event will give international travel companies an opportunity to engage directly with Saudi Arabia’s rapidly developing tourism market, while connecting Saudi stakeholders with global destinations, brands, travel buyers and industry leaders.

Tourism is playing a growing role in Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy, with the Kingdom targeting a 10% contribution to national GDP by the end of the decade.

Investment in hospitality, aviation, infrastructure, culture, entertainment and destination development is creating opportunities across the tourism value chain.

The event welcomes the Ministry of Tourism as Strategic Partner, supporting efforts to accelerate tourism growth, strengthen international collaboration and advance Vision 2030 objectives.

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said: “The pace and scale of change taking place in Saudi Arabia make this an incredibly exciting moment for the travel industry. Vision 2030 has created an environment where tourism, investment, infrastructure, and visitor experiences are developing together, opening opportunities not only within the Kingdom but also across international markets engaging with Saudi Arabia.

“This transformation was central to our decision to launch WTM Spotlight Riyadh. As event organisers, our role is to create an environment where people can come together, deepen their understanding of the market, share knowledge, and turn conversations into meaningful partnerships and commercial opportunities.

“Tomorrow represents the beginning of that journey. Our ambition is for WTM Spotlight Riyadh to evolve alongside Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector and become an increasingly important platform for connecting Saudi Arabian and international travel businesses. We want the relationships and ideas that begin here to continue well beyond the event and contribute to the next chapter of the Kingdom’s tourism growth.”

The three-day programme will combine pre-arranged meetings and networking with a conference exploring key tourism trends and opportunities.

Sessions will cover tourism growth under Vision 2030, the growing influence of Saudi outbound travellers, and the future of visitor experiences, mobility, attractions, talent and technology.

The programme will also highlight the connection between Saudi Arabia’s growing inbound tourism market and its increasingly influential outbound travel audience, bringing destinations, travel brands and Saudi stakeholders together in a focused B2B2C environment.

WTM Spotlight Riyadh is supported by partners including Fairmont Ramla and Fairmont Riyadh as Official Hotel Partners and Almosafer Travel & Tourism Co. as Official Journey Partner.

The organisers said the event aims to become an important platform for commercial exchange, industry insight and international collaboration as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its tourism sector and pursue the wider ambitions of Vision 2030. -TradeArabia News Service