Saudi Arabia is set to launch TOURISE, a bold new global platform designed to reshape the future of tourism. The inaugural, invite-only TOURISE Summit will take place in Riyadh from November 11 to 13, positioning the Kingdom as a central beacon of travel and hope for the Middle East and the wider world.
TOURISE is the first global platform designed to unite visionary public and private sector leaders across the crucial ecosystems of tourism, technology, investment and sustainability. The platform’s core mission is to tackle critical challenges unlock transformative opportunities and set a shared roadmap for the next fifty years of the sector.
The initiative is built for ambition. It is designed to unlock major unprecedented deal flow, high-value investment opportunities and access to breakthrough technologies, with major announcements expected to be activated through the platform.
TOURISE is more than just a three-day event; it is structured for year-round impact at scale. This commitment involves digital collaboration, thematic working groups and cross-sector partnerships aimed at long-term sector transformation. It will include authoring a series of white papers and global indices focused on sustainability and the global economy, co-developed with leading international organisations.
Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism and TOURISE Chairman, confirmed the strategy. "TOURISE will be the much-needed platform to shape the future of tourism. It 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."
The inaugural Summit programme is focused on four core themes: The Future of AI-Powered Tourism – Innovate or Fade; The Great Tourism Reset – Disruptive Business Models and Investment; Rebooting the Travel Experience – Upgrade in Progress; and Tourism that Works – for People, Planet, and Progress.
A dedicated Innovation Zone will showcase breakthrough technologies and solutions from SMEs and large corporations spanning AI, mobility and sustainability.
The platform boasts a high-profile Advisory Board chaired by Al-Khateeb, featuring global experts including Julia Simpson, CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and Luis Maroto, CEO of Amadeus.
WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson, who joined the official launch, stated that public-private sector collaboration is critical to the continued success of travel and tourism worldwide.
The launch also introduced the inaugural TOURISE Awards, a standout recognition programme celebrating destination excellence across digital transformation inclusive tourism and cultural preservation. This underscores Saudi Arabia’s rising influence and long-term commitment to supporting tourism as a driver of global progress. The Kingdom notably hit its Vision 2030 target of 100 million visitors annually seven years early in 2024.