RIYADH: The Saudi International Falcons and Hunting Exhibition has expanded its footprint but sharply reduced the number of participating exhibitors this year, with the 2026 edition covering 197,000 square meters but bringing together 254 exhibitors and brands from 20 countries, compared with more than 1,400 exhibitors from 47 countries last year.
The 10-day exhibition opened Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, north of the capital, under the slogan “A Destination for Everyone,” with a program that places greater emphasis on interactive experiences spanning falconry, hunting, outdoor activities, culture and entertainment.
The change comes after the 2025 edition attracted more than 700,000 visitors and generated more than SR91 million ($24.3 million) in sales, according to the Saudi Falcons Club, highlighting the commercial scale the event has developed around the Kingdom’s falconry heritage.
While the exhibition area has grown from more than 190,000 square meters last year, the number of exhibitors has fallen significantly. The number of activities has also decreased slightly, from 23 in 2025 to 21 this year.
The figures raise questions about whether the exhibition has been restructured around a more curated visitor experience, or whether the way exhibitors are counted has changed. The 2026 program nevertheless expands beyond traditional falconry, offering visitors experiences linked to hunting, travel, adventure and outdoor recreation.
Among the main attractions are “Falconer of the Future,” “Shalail Museum” and the “World of Taxidermy,” alongside hiking, fishing, safari trips, traditional hunting experiences and four-wheel-drive activities.
The exhibition also features archery, airgun and firearm shooting and virtual shooting, as well as camel and equestrian activities, workshops and folkloric performances.
The broader range of activities reflects efforts to introduce falconry and related traditions to a wider audience, while creating commercial and recreational opportunities around the sector.
The exhibition brings together businesses operating across areas connected to falconry and outdoor pursuits, including equipment and services associated with hunting, travel, camping and adventure. This creates a platform not only for heritage preservation but also for commercial activity around a growing leisure and tourism ecosystem.
Falconry remains at the center of the event, with displays and experiences focused on the practice, equipment and traditions associated with it. The Saudi Falcons Club has previously positioned the exhibition as a platform for developing economic activities connected to falcons, hunting and travel while strengthening the heritage’s connection with younger generations.
This year’s edition also comes under a new institutional framework. The event is being organized by the National Center for Falcons, following the transformation of the Saudi Falcons Club into a national center, marking a further step in the formal development of the sector.
The shift is significant given the exhibition’s growing commercial role. Last year’s more than SR91 million in sales provides a benchmark for assessing whether the smaller number of exhibitors this year translates into a different commercial model or a change in the value and type of transactions taking place.
The Saudi International Falcons and Hunting Exhibition runs until Oct. 10, opening daily from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham.
