RX launches WTM Spotlight with inaugural event in Saudi Arabia

Manal Saleh

·        WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia to immerse the world’s travel trade in the country’s tourism growth

·        RX is the organiser of leading travel and tourism events, including World Travel Market (WTM) in London, Dubai-based Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and WTM events in Cape Town and Sao Paulo

·        The debut event will take place from 29 September to 1 October 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Centre (RFECC)

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 10 September 2025: RX, a global leader in events and exhibitions and organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), World Travel Market (WTM), and WTM events in Cape Town and Sao Paulo, has officially announced the launch of WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia. The inaugural event is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 29 September to 1 October 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Centre (RFECC).

WTM Spotlight is a new brand and launch within the WTM portfolio, designed to focus on a specific market and create invaluable opportunities for regional and international exhibitors and visitors. Participants can engage in a mix of inbound and outbound conversations, forging meaningful connections with industry leaders and travel professionals while immersing themselves in the destination's culture.

Commenting on the announcement, Vasyl Zhygalo, Managing Director, Middle East and Emerging Markets, RX, said: “WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia represents an exciting new chapter for the WTM portfolio. By creating events that delve deeper into a specific market, we offer regional and international stakeholders, as well as travel professionals, an unparalleled opportunity to build essential relationships, gain richer insights, uncover future travel trends and discover innovative new ways to connect the world. Ultimately, these shared experiences and cultural insights lay the foundation for long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships.

“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 supporting its development as a destination by connecting the world to Saudi, and Saudi to the world.”

Saudi Arabia has undergone a significant transformation in tourism under Vision 2030, demonstrating the Kingdom’s ambitious plan to diversify its economy and position itself as a leading global tourist destination. Tourism is a key element of this strategy, with a national target for the sector to contribute 10% to GDP by 2030 – an increase from just 3.8% in 2019.

As such, the Ministry of Tourism has set ambitious goals for the tourism sector to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030, which, according to research, could see the tourism market increase in value from US$53.87 billion in 2024 to US$100.23 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.90%

To support this growth, the government has committed billions of dollars in investment, including giga-projects such as NEOM, the Red Sea Project, Qiddiya, Diriyah, and Roshn, along with extensive expansion in aviation, such as the launch of Riyadh Air and a strategy to triple annual passenger capacity to 330 million by 2030.

The inaugural WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia spans three days in a dynamic B2B2C format, featuring over 450 exhibitors and attracting 6,500 regional and international visitors. More than 150 carefully curated international hosted buyers, selected for their keen interest in the Saudi market, will drive meaningful engagement. This approach not only ensures maximum commercial benefit for regional exhibitors but also opens new outbound avenues, empowering destinations to extend their reach in this promising and lucrative market.

Visitors and buyers will have access to a range of opportunities, including new regional and international products and build partnerships that help them create world-class travel experiences. International buyers will have the opportunity to explore Saudi Arabia’s tourism landscape and how to incorporate its destinations into their portfolios. At the same time, Saudi consumers will be able to connect directly with regional and global travel brands and destinations, allowing them to plan personalised journeys.

Alongside the exhibition, a conference programme featuring regional and global thought leaders will examine the opportunities shaping Saudi Arabia’s tourism future, from connectivity and mega-projects to innovation and the evolving consumer preferences across the GCC. Powered by RX’s Smart Event tools, exhibitors, visitors and buyers will also benefit from generating valuable leads, connections and data-driven insights throughout the event.

“WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia will showcase the best elements 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 and rapidly developing tourism markets,” added Zhygalo.

“Bringing together global travel leaders, Saudi stakeholders and high-value consumers, the event will not only unlock commercial opportunities but also foster meaningful exchanges that will shape the future of travel both within the Kingdom and across the broader region,” he concluded.

WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia will complement the broader WTM portfolio, including Arabian Travel Market (ATM), by focusing specifically on Saudi Arabia’s high-growth market. The event will play a crucial role in strengthening regional collaboration, positioning the Kingdom as a hub for inbound visitors, while connecting Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding outbound travellers with destinations across the GCC and beyond.

ENDS

About WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia

WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia is the definitive launchpad for Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions – a platform purpose-built to connect the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector with the global travel industry. The show promotes meaningful exchange between regional stakeholders and international players. It’s where global travel brands gain direct access to one of the most promising new markets, and where Saudi Arabia showcases its destinations, vision, and investment opportunities to the world. WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia plays a vital role in shaping the Kingdom’s journey as a rising force in global tourism.

About RX

RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com.

About RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 36,000 people over 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX. *Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises leading travel events and online portals across four continents. The events are:

Arabian Travel Market (ATM), now in its 33^rd year, held annually in Dubai – the gateway to global travel and tourism with its unmatched connectivity – ATM is where the energy of opportunity comes to life.

More than just an event, ATM is a dynamic hub for industry communities, with forums, experiences, and networking that continue well beyond the show floor over the week. Now in a period of rapid expansion, ATM has grown 16% year on year, attracting over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.

The next edition of ATM will take place in Dubai from 4–7 May 2026.

https://www.wtm.com/atm/en-gb.html    

WTM London is the world’s most influential travel & tourism event for the global travel community. The show is the ultimate destination for those seeking a macro view of the travel industry and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping it. WTM London is where influential travel leaders, buyers and high-profile travel companies gather to exchange ideas, drive innovation, and accelerate business outcomes.

Next event: 4 to 6 November 2025 at ExCel London.

http://london.wtm.com/

WTM Latin America takes place annually in the city of São Paulo and attracts around 20,000 tourism professionals during the three-day event. The event offers qualified content together with networking and business opportunities. In this its ninth edition – there have been eight face-to-face events along with a 100% virtual one, which was held in 2021 – WTM Latin America continued to focus on effective business generation, and achieved the advance booking of six thousand meetings that were held between buyers, travel agents and exhibitors in 2022.

Next event: 14 to 16 April 2026 – Expo Center Norte, SP, Brazil.

http://latinamerica.wtm.com/

WTM Africa launched in 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2022, WTM Africa facilitated more than 7 thousand unique pre-scheduled appointments, an increase of more than 7% compared to 2019 and welcomed more than 6 thousand visitors (unaudited), the same number as in 2019.

Next event: 13 to 15 April 2026 – Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town http://africa.wtm.com/

About ATW Connect:  Africa Travel Week’s digital arm, is a virtual hub packed to the seams with interesting content, industry news and insights, and the opportunity to hear from experts on a variety of topics in our new monthly webinar series. All with the aim to keep all of us in the travel and tourism industry connected. ATW Connect focuses on inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel and the MICE/business travel sector as well as travel technology.

https://atwconnect.com/

WTM Global Hub, is the WTM Portfolio online portal created to connect and support travel industry professionals around the world. The resource hub offers the latest guidance and knowledge to help exhibitors, buyers and others in the travel industry face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic. WTM Portfolio is tapping into its global network of experts to create content for the hub. https://hub.wtm.com/