Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia launched TOURISE, a new global tourism platform aimed at charting the sector’s path over the next five decades.

The announcement, made by Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb, follows the Kingdom’s early achievement of its Vision 2030 goal of welcoming 100 million annual visitors, a milestone reached seven years ahead of schedule.

Al-Khateeb described TOURISE as a future-focused platform built to unite global leaders from both the public and private sectors. The initiative is expected to address major challenges, unlock new investment opportunities, and promote innovation across tourism, technology, sustainability, and cultural sectors.

TOURISE is structured for year-round impact, not just as a summit. Plans include digital collaboration, thematic working groups, and the publication of global indices and white papers co-developed with international organizations. These efforts aim to set new benchmarks for a sector undergoing rapid transformation.

The inaugural TOURISE Summit will be held in Riyadh from November 11 to 13, 2025. The event will focus on four core themes: AI-powered tourism, disruptive business models, enhanced travel experiences, and sustainable development. An Innovation Zone will showcase technologies from global startups and major companies.

The launch also included the announcement of the TOURISE Awards, which will recognize excellence in sustainability, digital transformation, cultural preservation, inclusive tourism, and workforce development. Nominations open June 2, with winners to be named at the summit’s opening night.

Julia Simpson, World Travel & Tourism Council President, who also serves on the TOURISE advisory board, said that long-term success in the industry hinges on strong public-private collaboration. She added that initiatives like TOURISE are key to creating a more sustainable and resilient global tourism ecosystem.