Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup have cemented Saudi Arabia’s status as host to the world, kicking off what is sure to be a golden age of global events in our country over the next decade.

This leadership reaches across every sector, with Saudi Arabia projecting its influence through a vast array of events that touch, connect and shape the industries driving our world — from sports and finance to tourism, energy, technology, defense, transport and logistics.

Marquee events on the Saudi calendar now include the Future Investment Initiative, Global Health Exhibition, TOURISE, Esports World Cup, World Defense Show, Smart Cities Forum, Future Minerals Forum, LEAP, Cityscape Global and the Future Aviation Forum.

Also on the schedule are global sporting events, including Formula One motorsport, championship boxing, golf, tennis, horse racing and football events.

So how does the Kingdom turn this golden decade of events into the greatest opportunity for our people? And how does it aim to redefine the events industry itself, reshaping the very way the world convenes, connects and is entertained?

This is a huge opportunity. Globally, the event tourism market was valued at $1.45 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $2.5 trillion by 2032 — making this an unparalleled moment for the Kingdom to translate global demand into jobs, investment and growth at home.

This week, more than 2,000 executives of the world’s largest event companies will convene in Riyadh to shape the future of the global business events industry — at the International Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions Summit.

IMS25 brings together the business events industry, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the International Congress and Convention Association, collectively representing more than 50,000 employees globally, in addition to government leaders from across the Kingdom and around the world.

The summit reflects that Saudi Arabia is not only maximizing the impact of events locally, but has established a global leadership position in the events industry.

IMS25 will shape talent and skill development for the industry, redefine events themselves through technology and innovation hubs, generate investment, and enhance the economic impact of events. 

The Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions Authority is the proud host of IMS25, uniting industry leaders to shape the sector’s future.

Together, SCEGA and the Saudi MICE sector have achieved major milestones over the past few years, building the foundation for the momentum we see today.

Licensing has been transformed into a fast, fully digital system that processes approvals in minutes, and requirements for low-risk activities such as small meetings and hotel events have been simplified. National standards for safety, sustainability, and economic-impact measurement have also been introduced.

The results have been significant. Saudi Arabia has emerged as the fastest-growing events industry of any G20 economy, expanding by 15 percent last year with more than 17,000 business events held across the Kingdom, and more than 45,000 Saudis trained and certified for roles across the industry.

SCEGA projects events growth to continue strongly, with business visitors to the Kingdom projected to almost triple to 8 million by 2030.

Saudi Arabia’s broader tourism sector is also flourishing, exceeding the Vision 2030 target of 100 million tourists seven years ahead of schedule, with business events growth supporting the revised target of 150 million tourists.

This growth matters. International business travel is one of the fastest-growing segments of global tourism, and business events consistently deliver higher economic returns per visitor.

These travelers tend to be high-net-worth individuals, spending across transport, retail and hospitality simultaneously.

Saudi Arabia now has all the elements needed to fundamentally reshape the future of global events: enthralling new destinations, an economy undergoing unprecedented growth and transformation, and world-class tourism, hospitality and transport infrastructure coming online.

Over the course of the next week at IMS25, SCEGA, public sector leaders, global event executives and associations will co-create the next phase of Saudi Arabia’s event offering — covering regulations, infrastructure development, customer experience, global partnerships and human capital development across the Kingdom.

This work will lay the crucial building blocks for the Kingdom to lead and redefine the events sector for the coming decade and beyond, building on global best practice and creating a powerful community of events investors and leaders to support our work.

IMS25 will also tackle the global challenges facing the events industry. Delivering more sustainable events that minimize waste, future-proofing events from travel and economic shocks, meeting consumer demands and expectations for a more personalized experience and attracting diverse talent to the industry to fuel its growth.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural gathering, the International MICE Summit has quickly established itself as a premier global leadership platform for the events industry — a place where the world’s most ambitious ideas converge.

IMS25 embodies the spirit of Vision 2030: bold, outward-looking and grounded in the understanding that transforming industries can transform lives, in Saudi Arabia and far beyond its borders.

Through IMS25 and a united government effort, Saudi Arabia is building a golden decade of opportunity and a lasting era in which events become a permanent national strength — and the Kingdom cements its position as host to the world.

• Hatim Al-Kahily is the chief executive officer of the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority