Saudi Arabia will host the first World Travel Market Spotlight Riyadh from September 8 to 10, a new business-to-business travel event that arrives as the kingdom pushes to capture fast-growing Chinese outbound tourism.
The event, organised by exhibitions group RX at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, lands at a point where Saudi Arabia’s tourism numbers are running ahead of its own Vision 2030 targets, and where Chinese demand is emerging as one of the most contested prizes in Gulf travel. It is expected to draw more than 300 exhibitors, over 7,000 attendees and 150 hosted buyers across destinations, hospitality and travel technology.
The China focus rests on a sharp rise in connectivity. Flights between Greater China and Saudi Arabia rose 91% in 2025 against 2024, with Saudia, China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines and Air China now running direct services between major cities in both countries. Research partner Dragon Trail International linked the growth to stronger air links, tourism investment and closer bilateral ties.
The kingdom won Approved Destination Status from the Chinese government in July 2024, allowing it to welcome Chinese tour groups and market group travel directly within China. It has since added Mandarin signage at airports and expanded payment options to court the market. Tourism Economics forecasts that Chinese leisure spending across the Middle East will rise around 130% between 2024 and 2030.
Saudi Arabia drew nearly 123mn domestic and international visitors in 2025, generating more than SAR304bn ($81.07bn) in tourism spending, according to figures cited around the event. Arrivals rose 8% year on year to 37.2mn in the first quarter of 2026.
“Saudi Arabia is rapidly establishing itself as a destination of growing importance for Chinese travellers,” said Danielle Curtis, regional portfolio director for the UAE at RX.
Why it matters for the trade
WTM Spotlight Riyadh gives inbound operators and DMCs a dedicated Saudi trade platform at a moment when the kingdom is actively rewiring itself for the China market, and the practical signals matter more than the headline numbers. Mandarin airport signage, expanded Chinese payment options and Approved Destination Status together mean group product can now be built and sold inside China, a channel that was closed before mid-2024.
For operators outside China, the 150 hosted-buyer format and the exhibitor mix across destinations, hospitality and travel technology make this a route into Saudi supplier relationships earlier than the larger regional shows allow. The 91% jump in China-Saudi air capacity is the number to watch, because seat availability, not demand, has been the binding constraint on Gulf-China itineraries.
The event also positions Riyadh in direct competition with Dubai’s established trade calendar for the Chinese and wider Asian source markets, a rivalry that should open negotiating room for buyers over the next two seasons.