New WTTC research confirms that no destination has suffered permanent collapse following a crisis, with recovery often leading to stronger growth
WTM Spotlight Riyadh will showcase the strength, resilience and rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector, bringing together global industry leaders to strengthen partnerships, explore new opportunities and reinforce confidence in one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets.
Exclusive insights from STR have highlighted the resilience of the Kingdom’s tourism sector, with Jeddah in particular performing well, with strong demand since March 2026 due to the city’s coastal location, resulting in growth being revised up and the rebound expected to continue through 2027. The data also indicated that giga-projects in Riyadh will support a rapid rebound in demand in 2027, with expectations to reach 2025 levels in February.
These findings align closely with Saudi Arabia’s own tourism trajectory. In Q1 2026, data from the Saudi Ministry of Tourism showed that visitor numbers increased by 8% year-on-year to 37.2 million, with tourist spending reaching SAR82.7 billion. Domestic tourism rose by 16% during the same period, reflecting strong local engagement with the Kingdom’s expanding tourism offering and growing confidence in the sector’s future.
In 2025, the Kingdom welcomed nearly 123 million domestic and international visitors, generating more than SAR304 billion in tourism spending and surpassing Vision 2030 tourism milestones ahead of schedule.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director, UAE, RX, said: “Tourism has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary ability to recover, adapt and grow, even in the face of significant challenges. Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is an excellent example of this resilience. Supported by Vision 2030 and continued investment in tourism infrastructure, aviation, hospitality, and visitor experiences, the Kingdom has built a robust ecosystem that continues to generate growth, attract investment, and create opportunities across the travel value chain.
By bringing together international and regional travel stakeholders, WTM Spotlight Riyadh provides a focused environment where meaningful business relationships can be established and developed, knowledge can be shared, and new opportunities can be unlocked.”
Research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), developed in partnership with George Washington University and Chemonics International, which will deliver three conference sessions during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, outlined the resilience of the travel sector and its ability to recover from disruption. According to the report’s research, recovery is consistent and, in most cases, leads to stronger growth.
The WTTC report also highlighted that recovery is a result of leadership, investment and collaboration. Ibrahim Osta, Senior Economic Growth Director & Global Tourism Lead at Chemonics International, said: “Recovery doesn’t just happen – it’s a decision. The destinations that came back fastest are the ones that made the bold decision to invest at the height of the crisis, protected their businesses, and controlled their own narrative when everyone else went quiet. That is not luck. That is leadership.”
Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has maintained sustained investment in aviation, hospitality and destination development. Passenger traffic across Saudi airports reached 140.9 million in 2025, while the Kingdom’s connectivity network expanded to 176 international destinations according to statistics from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
Investment across tourism infrastructure has also continued, with new hospitality developments, expanded airport capacity, enhanced visitor experiences and major tourism projects supporting the Kingdom’s ambition to welcome 150 million visitors annually by 2030.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh has been created to support this growth by providing a highly focused environment where destinations, tourism authorities, travel brands, hospitality providers, airlines, technology companies, and buyers can establish meaningful commercial relationships and explore new opportunities. By connecting the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world, the platform allows international stakeholders to engage directly with one of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets while supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions.
The event will bring together more than 6,500 regional and international visitors and 150 international hosted buyers, creating a dedicated marketplace where industry leaders can exchange ideas, develop partnerships and contribute to the continued resilience and growth of global tourism.
Designed as a focused B2B2C platform, WTM Spotlight Riyadh will showcase the full travel ecosystem, from destinations, hospitality providers and attractions to transportation, travel technology and tourism services. Through pre-arranged business meetings, curated networking opportunities, and a comprehensive conference programme, the event will create an environment in which meaningful commercial outcomes can be achieved while supporting Saudi Arabia’s long-term tourism ambitions.
Aligned with Vision 2030, WTM Spotlight Riyadh will reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a key driver of tourism innovation, investment and international collaboration, demonstrating how resilience, connectivity and partnership can continue to shape the future growth of global travel.
