At WTM Spotlight Riyadh 2026 senior leaders from Saudi Arabia and Jamaica will explore education, career pathways and leadership development. Speakers will represent Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, King Salman Gate, Red Sea Global, King Saud University and Qiddiya. Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism will also join the discussion.
The Future Stage will examine the talent needed to support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to attract 150 million visitors and create more than one million tourism jobs by 2030. WTM Spotlight Riyadh takes place from 8–10 September at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC). The event will connect the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world.
26 August 2026: Saudi Arabia is moving into the next phase of its tourism transformation. Developing skills, leadership and local capabilities will become increasingly important as the sector grows.
These priorities will help translate unprecedented investment into sustainable economic value. This is according to Ibrahim Osta, Senior Economic Growth Director and Global Tourism Lead at Chemonics International. Osta is also Professor of Management at the George Washington University School of Business.
Building lasting tourism careers
Osta cited the latest tourism-establishment data from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). It shows that the Kingdom already has just over one million employees working in tourism activities. However, only about one-quarter are Saudi nationals.
The challenge is no longer simply to generate employment, according to Osta. Saudi talent must also be able to enter the sector and develop specialist skills. Employees need opportunities to progress as the tourism economy expands.
“Saudi Arabia has created tourism employment at remarkable speed. The next phase is about depth: Saudi nationals entering the sector, building specialist expertise, progressing into leadership, and increasingly creating businesses of their own. Scale and depth have to advance together. That is how rapid employment growth becomes lasting national capability,” said Osta.
“Training centres alone do not create careers. Careers are created when occupational standards, employer demand, recognised qualifications, real hiring pathways and opportunities for progression are connected. The question our panel will explore with employers, educators and government is not simply how many people we train, but whether the system enables talented Saudi nationals to enter the sector, build expertise and see a credible path into leadership,” he added.
Future Stage panel at WTM Spotlight Riyadh
These themes will form part of the wider industry discussion at the inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh. The event takes place from 8–10 September 2026 at RFECC.
Saudi and international tourism leaders will attend alongside policymakers, educators and industry experts. Together, they will explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving tourism economy. The programme will also consider the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030.
On the final day, Osta will moderate the Future Stage session Talent & Leadership Panel: One Million Tourism Careers – Delivering Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Vision Beyond 2030. Chemonics International is partnering with WTM Spotlight Riyadh to deliver the session.
The panel will examine the talent and leadership required to support the Kingdom’s tourism goals. Saudi Arabia aims to attract 150 million visitors and create more than one million tourism jobs by 2030. Discussion will focus on priorities for the next phase of the sector’s growth.
The panellists are:
- Salem Al Shahrani, Chief of Staff, Rua Al Haram Al Makki, King Salman Gate Project
- Raed Alghamdi, Assistant Manager – Education and Capability Building, Red Sea Global
- Fahad Alhuqbani, Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, College of Tourism & Archaeology, King Saud University
- The Hon. Edmund C. Bartlett, OJ, CD, MP, LLD (Hon), Minister of Tourism, Jamaica
- Muhannad Alghanmi, Director, Leadership Development, Qiddiya
- Salman A. Alarifi, General Manager of Technology Enablement, Ministry of Tourism, Saudi Arabia
Skills for tourism beyond 2030
Saudi Arabia’s visitor economy is expected to grow in scale and sophistication beyond 2030. The skills needed to support its tourism ambitions will therefore continue to evolve. Technology will play a greater role across destinations, operations and the visitor experience.
Salem Al Shahrani, Chief of Staff, Rua Al Haram Al Makki, King Salman Gate, said: “The tourism workforce of the future is not one workforce. A destination needs engineering and infrastructure, hospitality, retail, culture, mobility and technology, and all of those disciplines have to come together as one operating system.
“King Salman Gate is expected to generate more than 300,000 jobs by 2036 across an integrated destination adjacent to AlMasjid AlHaram, serving residents, pilgrims and visitors. The opportunity for Saudi Arabia is to build Saudi expertise across that full range of professions, with clear pathways into specialist and leadership roles, rather than thinking about tourism careers only in frontline terms.”
The next generation of tourism leaders will need a broad mix of capabilities. These include AI, data analytics, digital marketing and revenue management. Immersive technologies such as AR and VR will also become more important.
Other priorities include crowd management, event operations, risk, safety and sustainability. Bilingual guest service and cross-cultural intelligence will also remain essential.
Developing Saudi Arabia’s talent pipeline
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said: “Saudi Arabia has demonstrated extraordinary ambition in developing its tourism sector, and the next phase is about ensuring the talent pipeline evolves at the same pace. As destinations, giga-projects, hospitality developments and visitor experiences continue to come online, investing in people will be fundamental to translating that growth into lasting economic impact.
“The scale of opportunity for young Saudi nationals is particularly exciting because tourism careers now extend far beyond traditional hospitality roles. WTM Spotlight Riyadh provides an important platform to bring employers, educators, government and international experts together to explore how we build those pathways earlier, develop future leaders and ensure Saudi talent plays a defining role in delivering the Kingdom’s tourism ambitions beyond 2030.”
WTM Spotlight Riyadh aims to facilitate this exchange of knowledge and expertise. It will connect Saudi Arabia’s rapidly developing tourism sector with international markets, businesses and industry leaders.
By connecting the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world, the event will support collaboration and knowledge exchange. It will also create commercial opportunities. These connections can help the Kingdom develop the people, businesses and experiences needed for the next chapter of its tourism transformation.
Registration for WTM Spotlight Riyadh
Visitor registration for WTM Spotlight Riyadh is now open. Travel professionals can secure their place at the inaugural event and engage with one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets. For exhibitor enquiries, please click here.
About WTM Spotlight Riyadh
WTM Spotlight Riyadh is a launchpad for Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions. The event connects the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector with the global travel industry.
The show promotes meaningful exchange between regional stakeholders and international organisations. Global travel brands can gain direct access to one of the world’s most promising new markets. Saudi Arabia can also showcase its destinations, vision and investment opportunities.
WTM Spotlight Riyadh plays an important role in the Kingdom’s development as a growing force in global tourism.
About Chemonics International
Chemonics International is a global specialist in sustainable tourism and destination development. The organisation has more than 50 years of experience and has worked in over 60 countries.
It works with governments, destinations, businesses and communities to turn tourism ambitions into results. Its work supports competitive destinations, stronger institutions, investment, employment and lasting economic opportunities.
The company’s expertise spans tourism strategy, policy, destination planning and management. It also covers product development, visitor experiences, investment, enterprise growth and destination branding. Other areas include cultural and natural heritage, as well as tourism workforce development.
As a multidisciplinary professional services company, Chemonics combines international expertise with local knowledge and implementation capacity. This approach helps destinations move from vision to results.
About RX
RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions. It uses industry expertise, data and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities and organisations.
The company operates in 25 countries across 42 industry sectors. It hosts approximately 350 events each year and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment.
RX helps businesses grow by using data-driven insights and digital solutions. It 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.
