The events world descends on Riyadh this week, with companies generating more than US$9bn in revenues set to announce a raft of new event partnerships and investments in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning business events and tourism scene.
The International Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) Summit returns to Riyadh for its second year, with host the Saudi Conventions & Exhibitions General Authority reporting impressive global interest in the event.
Registrations have already surged past 3,000 building from the inaugural 2024 event which attracted 1,700 participants from 25 countries.
IMS25 will convene decision-makers from across the industries that are making Saudi Arabia global events force, as the Kingdom prepares to host Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup.
Speakers include the Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, His Royal Highness Princ Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saudi, the CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Fahd Hamidaddin, and the Deputy Minister of Culture, Noha Kattan.
Saud Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism target has been revised from 100 to 150 million visits per year, as the initial target was achieved seven years ahead of schedule and only four years after tourism visit visas were introduced in 2019. Saudi Arabia now hosts a full calendar of global sporting and entertainment events, including Formula 1 motorsport, the Esports World Cup, championship boxing, golf, tennis, horse racing, and football events.
Business events are a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s tourism strategy, with every major industry establishing global showpieces in the Kingdom. The Future Investment Initiative, World Defense Show, Smart Cities Forum, Future Minerals Forum, LEAP, Future Aviation Forum and Global
Logistics Forum are just some examples of the events drawing tens of thousands of business leaders to the Kingdom each year.
For the first time, IMS25 will also feature the destination management and developmen authorities for the Kingdom’s newest destination regions, including Madinah, Hail, Jubail and Yanbu, and the Eastern Province.
Saudi Arabia is investing seriously in events infrastructure across these regions. The Jaydan Waterfront Project in Jazan is a $2.9 billion investment that will include a conference and exhibition center, supporting the Kingdom’s Red Sea tourism developments.
The developmen was announced this month at the first edition of TOURISE, a global tourism business event hich drew 10,000 industry attendees from more than 100 countries to Riyadh.
CEOs and leaders from the world’s biggest event companies will be attending IMS25 to invest i Saudi Arabia’s growth journey, including GL events, RX Global, Messe Frankfurt, Clarion, Messe Muniche, Messe Dusseldorf, Koelnmesse, MCH Group, Messe Berlin, Comexposium, and
Informa and its Saudi joint venture Talahuf.
IMS25 also promises to shape the future development of business events, with globa associations UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC)
leading discussions on events technologies, blended events, human capital strategies and sustainability.
Rachel Travers, President RX UK, Europe and the Middle East, said: “We are proud to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s transformation into one of the world’s most dynamic centres for business, tourism, and the global events industry. We will therefor significantly expand our engagement in the Kingdom in 2026, launch new events and create ecosystems for growth that directly contribute to the goals of Vision 2030."
Chris Gallon – Clarion Events CEO (EMEA), added: “At Clarion, we are proud to be part of an industry that continues to be a beacon of innovation and a catalyst for global growth. We commend the Kingdom for its remarkable Vision 2030, transformative initiative that embodies bold ambition and forward-thinking leadership.”
