JEDDAH: Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb invited investors worldwide to use next year’s Tourise 2027 summit as a platform to announce new deals and investments in the global tourism sector.
Speaking at Wadi Safar in Diriyah on Wednesday during the official launch event for the summit, Al-Khateeb, who chairs Tourise and its advisory board, said the success of the inaugural event in November last year puts pressure on the organizers to make the second summit larger and more ambitious.
“We listen to our partners: investors, attendees and everyone who took part in the first edition of Tourise,” he said.
“We have made sure their comments and excellent suggestions are reflected in the second edition, which will take place in Riyadh in March 2027.”
The summit, held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will take place from March 23 to 25, under the theme “Alliances That Move the World.”
The event will bring together leaders from the tourism, technology, investment, sustainability, culture and transport sectors to explore industry challenges and opportunities, and help shape the next phase of global tourism.
A key lesson to be learned from the development of tourism in the Kingdom in recent years was that no part of the industry can operate effectively in isolation, Al-Khateeb said.
“What we have learned in Saudi Arabia is that one party cannot work alone in silos; we have to work together,” he added.
For example, hotel developers and investors depended on airlines having sufficient aircraft and capacity to transport enough passengers to fill hotels, theme parks, restaurants and retail destinations, he noted.
“Tourise was created to address this challenge and ensure travel companies talk to airlines, airlines to airport operators, and hospitality providers are well informed,” Al-Khateeb said.
The target audience for the summit includes representatives of travel firms, destination management businesses, online travel agencies, airlines, airports and hotels, as well as companies in the entertainment, retail, and food and beverage sectors.
Al-Khateeb said the platform would serve all market segments, from package tourists to high-net-worth and luxury travelers, while enabling industry leaders to discuss business, sign agreements and explore emerging technologies.
It also aims to help the industry serve billions of new travelers without losing the personal connections that are at the heart of tourism, he added, an ambition captured by the summit’s call to “make travel feel human again.”
The growing use of artificial intelligence must not come at the expense of this human interaction, Al-Khateeb added: “Tourism is all about people and human-to-human connection. We have to understand the impact of artificial intelligence on the people who provide these services.”
Travel and tourism supports about 360 million jobs worldwide, he said, with women and young people accounting for a significant share of the workforce, and many small and medium-sized tourism businesses were based in rural communities.
“It is very important to protect their jobs, and use technology where necessary while keeping tourism human,” Al-Khateeb said.
“We do not want to lose the opportunity to interact with people and learn about their culture. You learn about another nation’s culture when you interact with its people and local communities.”
Geopolitical developments and rapidly evolving technologies, particularly AI, were among the key forces reshaping global tourism, he acknowledged.
“Where is AI heading? What kinds of jobs will AI replace and what kinds of jobs should we protect to ensure that this sector continues to provide services delivered by people? These are issues we have to discuss and reach an understanding on.”
Al-Khateeb said Tourise had developed in ways that will maintain dialogue among stakeholders and help them make informed decisions about the future of the sector.
“We promised the world that Tourise would be more than just a summit; it is a year-round platform,” he said. It published more than five research studies over the past 12 months and organized meetings, receptions and workshops at the World Economic Forum in Davos and other international events, he added.
“We want Tourise to be more than the Tourise Summit, and keep the dialogue open among all stakeholders across the ecosystem, helping them make more informed decisions about the future,” Al-Khateeb said.
The 2027 summit will feature workshops, discussions and partner-led sessions at a dedicated event village. The three-day program will address issues affecting airport operators, investors, airlines, travel companies, hospitality businesses, and the food and beverage industry.
The venue will also have 20 to 30 meeting rooms where participants, guests and speakers can meet partners to discuss the future of the industry and explore commercial opportunities.
“We have reached out to investors around the world and invited them to use Tourise as a platform to announce future transactions and investments,” Al-Khateeb said.
After his opening address, the minister joined a panel discussion with Gloria Guevara, the president and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, and Mario Enzesberger, the founder and CEO of Liberty International Tourism Group and a returning member of the Tourise board of trustees.
The inaugural Tourise Summit brought together nearly 10,000 industry representatives from more than 100 countries for three days of discussions and networking, organizers said. It produced 46 announcements, 40 memorandums of understanding and a shared declaration outlining a vision for the next 50 years of global tourism.