Saudi Arabia reveals plan to shape...

Tourise initiative brings private and public sectors together for first time

Saudi Arabia has launched Tourise, a new platform it says is designed to shape and promote the future of global travel and tourism.

Supported by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Tourise will bring together leaders from the public and private sector across tourism, technology, investment and sustainability for the first time, to unlock opportunities for growth.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb officially launched Tourise at a press conference streamed live from Riyadh, in a move that cements the kingdom’s growing role as a contributor and driver of tourism worldwide.

Speaking at the launch, His Excellency said Saudi took the initiative “because we saw a gap and we are investing more than two trillion dollars in this sector, building new resorts, airlines and hotels. We care about this industry”.

Saudi Arabia is “ahead of the curve” when it comes to global growth, outperforming traditional markets, according to the WTTC, with the kingdom aiming to attract 70 million by 2030, putting it in the world's top seven global destinations.

His Excellency will also serve as chairman of Tourise which will have an advisory board made up of “titans of the tourism and travel industry”, including Julia Simpson CEO at WTTC.

“For this industry to evolve and reach its full potential, public-private sector collaboration is critical to the continued success of Travel & Tourism worldwide,” said Simpson. “Together, we can address the challenges of today while co-creating a sustainable and innovative future for tomorrow.”

His Excellency added that Tourise will “unite the right people to develop innovative solutions and build partnerships, enabling the tourism sector to be more resilient, connected and inclusive than ever before.”

According to WTTC, tourism is projected to contribute US$11.7 trillion to the global economy this year, representing 10.3% of global GDP. This is predicted to rise to US$16.5 trillion and 11.5% of GDP by 2035. While this suggests strong growth, there are challenges that pose risks to the industry’s momentum, and Tourise is designed to address those.

The invite-only Tourise Summit will take place in Riyadh from 11–13 November 2025, alongside an awards programme, recognising sustainability, digital transformation, inclusive tourism, cultural preservation and workforce development, with nominations opening on 2 June 2025.

Tourise Summit will take place in Riyadh

The event, which will also be live-streamed, will focus on four core themes, including the future of AI-powered tourism, disruptive business models and investment, rebooting the travel experience and tourism that works for people, planet and progress.

“We are setting a blueprint for the future of tourism, to create one that is more united, resilient and forward-looking,” said Tourise CEO Jean-Philippe Cossé, former Senior Vice President at dmg events.

“Political, cultural and innovative leaders of the world will unite to rewrite the rules on how the world connects and grows. Tourise will bring direction, coordination and energy and the awards will recognise destinations that go over and above.”

Year-round activity from Tourise will include a series of white papers focused on tourism, sustainability and the global economy.

For more information, visit www.tourise.com/en/home