The inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh opened in in the Saudi capital on Monday with the participation of senior tourism leaders and global travel buyers as Saudi Arabia showcased its growing portfolio of destinations, experiences and tourism opportunities.
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.
Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) Chief Executive Officer Sara Buhiji attended the Concours of Elegance 2026 at Hampton Court Palace in the UK, using the event to promote Bahrain as a destination for international tourism and high-profile events.
The long-awaited Unified Gulf Tourist Visa is set to be launched soon, allowing international visitors to travel more easily across the six GCC countries, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi said, according to Saudi Gazette.
Red Sea Global (RSG), the regenerative tourism developer, has announced the opening of Nammos Resort Amaala, the global hospitality brand’s first resort hotel, expanding Amaala’s luxury and wellness offering.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh has announced the conference programme for its inaugural edition, bringing together tourism leaders from Saudi Arabia and international markets to explore opportunities created by the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding visitor economy.
The Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media has concluded a promotional roadshow in India, covering Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad, as part of efforts to strengthen Ajman’s presence in key international markets and expand engagement with India’s travel and tourism sector.
Tourism’s economic value in the Gulf Cooperation Council reached $254.7 billion in 2025, supporting 4.5 million jobs, as the sector strengthens its contribution to regional economies and expands its presence in the global tourism market, according to GCC-Stat.
The direct and indirect economic value of tourism in the GCC countries rose to $254.7 billion in 2025, compared with $11.7 trillion globally, said a new report, adding that the tourism-related employment across the six Gulf countries reached about 4.5 million jobs in 2025.
As World Tourism Day is marked today, Belvera Partners has brought travel technology leaders together to examine how AI is accelerating changes across tourism. The speakers highlighted its growing impact on destination discovery, direct bookings, customer experiences and the wider travel value chain.
