Can tourism be reimagined? New Saudi-led platform wants to future-proof global travel
Tourism is bouncing back fast. The industry is expected to contribute nearly €11 trillion – or about 10 per cent of GDP – to the global economy this year. By 2035, that number could reach €15 trillion.
But with this growth comes outsized pressures, from climate change and AI disruption to workforce skill gaps and shifting traveller expectations.
Saudi Arabia hopes to help steer the sector through these challenges with a new initiative: TOURISE.
Launched this week by Saudi Arabia's minister of tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, TOURISE is a year-round global platform and annual summit designed to unite the public and private sectors, from policymakers and sustainability experts to entrepreneurs and investors.
'Global tourism is at a crossroads,' said Al-Khateeb. 'We must decide which path to take will determine its future.'
Saudi Arabia sees itself as a natural hub for this new global effort. Aiming to attract 50 million international visitors by 2030, the kingdom sees its tourism sector growing rapidly. By 2032, three million people in Saudi Arabia, or around 17 per cent of the population, are expected to work in the industry, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.
In 2024, the country hit its Vision 2030 goal of 100 million total visits seven years early.
Backed by a high-level advisory board, TOURISE will host its first summit in Riyadh from 11-13 November this year. The invite-only event will focus on themes such as AI-powered tourism, investment and innovation and building a more inclusive and resilient sector.
Organisers say the platform will continue year-round through digital collaboration, cross-sector working groups and new research, including white papers and indexes focused on tourism, sustainability and the global economy.
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'We can design the future of tourism,' said Al-Khateeb.
The platform coincides with the launch of an awards programme that spotlights destinations excelling in areas such as sustainability, digital transformation and cultural preservation. Winners will be announced at the summit's opening night in November.
TOURISE is chaired by Al-Khateeb, with an advisory board that includes senior figures from Cirque du Soleil, Amadeus, Heathrow Airport and the World Travel & Tourism Council.
'This is an invitation to the world; it is not a domestic event,' said Tourise CEO Jean-Philippe Cossé.
'TOURISE can give the global tourism and travel industry something it has never had: a single, united future-focused platform. It can set the global tourism agenda for the decades ahead.'
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