Since introducing tourism visas in 2019, Saudi Arabia has been establishing itself as a leisure tourism powerhouse. Tourise Riyadh 2025, the inaugural held between November 11-13 event by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, is a great example of this investment.
Attendees combined Saudi, GCC, and worldwide players in hospitality, finance, business development, technology, media, and government. The overarching goals were to understand and experience the future of Saudi tourism, as well as attend discussions on a variety of existential issues facing the entire planet.
After having spent the summer of 2017 in Jeddah — i.e. right before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came into power — Tourise Riyadh 2025 reminded me that Saudi Arabia has been advancing like no other country that I’ve visited. Per this quote from webintravel.com, Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority:
“Saudi Arabia was long a victim of prejudice,” he said. “And the more people came, the more they realised how different the reality is.”
Having been to the country before and after major strides were made, I can attest to that. On that note, although my last visit to the kingdom was in March 2023, I must make more frequent visits.
Unfortunately, due to a Japan project, I was only able to attend the first day of the summit. Worse yet, the round-table discussions that I prioritized, e.g. gastronomy tourism, happened once I had already left Saudi Arabia. Thus, I brought an extra set of Duracell batteries to keep me going through a day’s networking blitz.
Did I say Duracell? I meant dates. After all, dates are the sugar spike that help to break the fast during Ramadan.
I love dates.
Bateel, perhaps the second-most recognizable Saudi company in my view — after Aramco, of course — has been producing dates since 1936. I only learned about them at a mall in Jakarta in 2008; little did I know that they had Riyadh cafes open until 1am.
Bateel set up a little booth at Tourise, knowing that Saudi cardamom coffee and dates form a splendid one-two punch.
I’ve made it this far without mentioning the host– it was none other than The Ritz-Carlton Riyadh. I had a very relaxing stay there years ago, but recall more than anything else the architecture. The hotel complex, in the Diplomatic Quarter of the Saudi capital, was originally designed as a palace for royal guests.
The complex is something else.
One of my favorite architects happens to be John Portman, the man who made the hotel atrium famous. I can only wonder what his designs would have been like in Saudi Arabia….
Back to Tourise Riyadh 2025, a number of hospitality, government, and media sponsors had booths throughout the event grounds.
For instance, Barcelona- and Miami-based Nikki Beach Hospitality had an outdoor patio, a mocktail bar, and a DJ.
Nikki Beach Hospitality has properties throughout the Mediterranean, Koh Samui, and South Florida.
Then, there’s this behemoth.
Well, ok, the slightly blurry photo absolutely doesn’t do it justice.
The name is Qiddiya City, and it’s a vast dining, entertainment, and sports complex being constructed by Riyadh’s Tuwaiq Mountains. I couldn’t get up close, but hiding within that model is a stadium! Don’t forget: the 2034 World Cup is coming Saudi’s way.
As an airport fan, I also spent some time at the King Salman International Airport exhibit. Already under development — and ultimately supplanting Riyadh’s current international airport — it’s a massive project. Figure six parallel runways, 57 square kilometers (around 14,085 acres), and a target passenger throughput of 100 million by 2030. This is in addition to dining, shopping, and residential structures being built en situ.
I had an enjoyable and productive time at Tourise Riyadh 2025, and wish to throw my hat into the ring to be a culinary travel speaker at the next one!
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