RX, the seasoned maestro behind some of the world’s most influential travel events, has announced a new star attraction in its already glittering portfolio: WTM Spotlight Saudi Arabia. For the first time, the Kingdom will host this much-anticipated showcase, set to run from 29 September to 1 October 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Centre (RFECC).
This isn’t just another trade show. It’s a full-blown statement: Saudi Arabia has arrived on the world stage of tourism, and it intends to make its presence impossible to ignore.
A Market Worthy of Its Own Stage
Vasyl Zhygalo, Managing Director, Middle East and emerging markets – RX
The World Travel Market family is hardly short of prestigious names. RX’s roster includes the flagship WTM London, the bustling Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, and editions in Cape Town and São Paulo. Yet the decision to spin off a brand-new “Spotlight” series and to debut it in Saudi Arabia is no coincidence.
“WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia represents an exciting new chapter for the WTM portfolio,” said Vasyl Zhygalo, Managing Director, Middle East and Emerging Markets at RX. “By creating events that delve deeper into a specific market, we offer stakeholders an unparalleled opportunity to build essential relationships, uncover trends, and discover innovative ways to connect the world.”
Zhygalo was quick to add the clincher: “Saudi Arabia is the perfect location to launch this concept – its tourism sector is one of the most ambitious and fastest-growing in the world, and WTM Spotlight will play a pivotal role in connecting Saudi to the world, and the world to Saudi.”
One suspects he’s not exaggerating.
Vision 2030: From Oil to Opportunity
Saudi Arabia’s tourism reinvention is not merely cosmetic. In fact, it is the linchpin of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s sweeping plan to diversify its economy away from oil and into new, sustainable sectors.
Tourism’s target contribution to GDP? 10% by 2030, up from a modest 3.8% in 2019. That’s not just growth it’s a transformation of seismic proportions.
The government has committed billions to fuel this expansion, pouring investment into so-called “giga-projects” that sound more like science fiction than town planning:
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NEOM, a futuristic mega-city stretching across the desert and the coast.
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The Red Sea Project, where luxury resorts mingle with untouched reefs and lagoons.
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Qiddiya is an entertainment and sporting playground outside Riyadh.
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Diriyah, the historic birthplace of the Kingdom, reimagined for cultural tourism.
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Roshn is a national housing and lifestyle development programme.
Alongside these, the Kingdom is reinventing its skies. Riyadh Air has been launched to complement the national carrier Saudia, while plans are afoot to triple annual passenger capacity to 330 million by 2030.
In short: this is not tinkering around the edges. This is a travel industry being built at breakneck speed.
Spotlight by the Numbers
WTM Spotlight Saudi Arabia is already shaping up as a heavyweight. RX expects:
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450+ exhibitors from across the globe.
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6,500 regional and international visitors over three dynamic days.
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150 hand-picked hosted buyers, each carefully curated for their potential to invest in or expand within Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing travel sector.
The event’s hybrid B2B2C format will ensure that exhibitors meet trade partners and high-value Saudi consumers. In practice, that means an inbound-outbound free-for-all, where a Saudi traveller could just as easily plan a luxury escape to Paris as a London operator could ink deals to bring visitors to AlUla or the Red Sea coast.
Conferences, Culture, and Connections
Naturally, no modern mega-event is complete without a thought-leadership conference, and RX promises a line-up to match. Panels and keynotes will explore pressing themes, such as connectivity, mega-projects, innovation, and the shifting preferences of Gulf consumers.
What sets Spotlight apart, however, is its cultural immersion. Delegates won’t just exchange business cards; they’ll be encouraged to absorb the essence of Saudi Arabia, from heritage sites to cuisine. It’s part trade fair, part cultural showcase, part networking marathon — turbocharged by RX’s Smart Event tools, which generate leads, connections, and data-driven insights on the fly.
As Zhygalo summed up: “WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia will showcase the best of our events, curated business connections, authentic cultural experiences, thought-leading content, and direct consumer engagement all within one of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets.”
A Kingdom on the Rise
Saudi Arabia’s numbers back the fanfare. Research suggests the national tourism market will more than double in value, growing from US$53.87 billion in 2024 to US$100.23 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.9%.
And the Ministry of Tourism’s target? 150 million annual visitors by 2030. In perspective, it’s nearly six times Australia’s population.
Such ambition has inevitably attracted sceptics. Can the Kingdom deliver luxury resorts in the desert, futuristic smart cities, and seamless air connectivity all in a decade? If early progress is any guide, the answer seems to be a confident yes.
Why the Travel Trade Should Care
For the world’s tour operators, hoteliers, airlines and destination marketers, WTM Spotlight in Riyadh is not just another date in the diary. It’s a chance to gain first-mover advantage in a market with both inbound allure and outbound clout.
Saudi Arabia is emerging as both a magnet for global visitors and a source of travellers with increasingly sophisticated tastes. That duality makes it irresistible to a worldwide travel trade hungry for growth.
As RX positions it, WTM Spotlight is the bridge: “bringing together global travel leaders, Saudi stakeholders and high-value consumers, the event will not only unlock commercial opportunities but also foster exchanges that will shape the future of travel both within the Kingdom and across the region.”
Conclusion: Riyadh’s Moment in the Sun
For decades, world tourism conversations have centred on the familiar heavyweights: London, Paris, Dubai, and New York. With WTM Spotlight, Riyadh is about to gate-crash that party spectacularly.
The message from RX is clear: Saudi Arabia’s time has come, and the global travel industry ignores it at its peril.
RX hands it a gleaming stage as the Kingdom opens its doors with gusto. The world’s travel leaders now have an invitation. The only question is: who will be bold enough to seize the Spotlight?
By Jason Smith
