RIYADH: A Saudi hospitality talent scheme has been named among the World Economic Forum's first six Beyond Tourism Impact Stars.

Announced in Geneva on Sept. 25 at the Forum’s first Beyond Tourism Day, the inaugural cohort included Sommet Education alongside Accor, Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment, and Discova, as well as GHE Impact Ventures, and Iberostar.

As per a press release, the sector is expected to generate $16 trillion in GDP by 2034, accounting for more than 11 percent of the global economy.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the Middle East is expected to be the only region worldwide to see its travel and tourism GDP contract in 2026, down 14.5 percent to $330 billion amid regional conflict, though WTTC forecast it will become the fastest-growing tourism region over the following decade, led by Saudi Arabia, where the sector already accounts for 14.1 percent of GDP.

Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, described the initiative and the first Beyond Tourism Day as evidence of “a shared commitment to translating vision into tangible impact for global travel and tourism,” adding that the Kingdom remained committed to “a more resilient, responsible and inclusive travel and tourism ecosystem.”

World Economic Forum President and CEO Alois Zwinggi said the winning projects show how the industry is responding to the pressure on the sector

“The Beyond Tourism Impact Stars showcase how private sector leaders are responding through diverse solutions, from new business models and community partnerships to data-driven tools, workforce initiatives and heritage-led real estate development,” he said, adding that commercial success and positive impact “reinforce one another by creating value for businesses, destinations and communities.”

Six winners, six approaches

Sommet Education was honoured for Empowering Saudi Hospitality Talent, a national-scale education partnership building the Kingdom’s hospitality workforce.

Accor was recognised for its Global Water Action programme, which engages hotel staff worldwide to embed water conservation into daily operations through training, gamification and recognition. 

Al Ismaelia for Real Estate Investment was honoured for Reviving Downtown Cairo, restoring architectural heritage and curating local businesses to revive the Egyptian capital’s historic core, while Discova’s Path to Self-Sufficient Tourism helps rural communities across Southeast Asia build tourism enterprises and gradually take ownership of them. 

GHE Impact Ventures was recognised for its Himalayan Living Commons initiative, developing community-owned visitor economies in remote parts of India. 

Iberostar’s Wave of Change applies science, data and AI to cut hotels’ environmental footprint and restore ecosystems.

Saudi partnership at the centre

The Beyond Tourism Impact Stars programme was developed jointly with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism and global consultancy Kearney, recognising solutions that create commercial value while strengthening the destinations tourism depends on.

Kearney’s Global Managing Partner and Chairman, Bob Willen, said the winning projects proved businesses “do not have to choose between commercial performance and positive impact,” calling the cohort proof that the sector can “turn ambition into action.”

A new fixture on the tourism calendar

The winners were announced at Beyond Tourism Day in Geneva, held under the theme “Resilient Growth. Renewed Impact,” with sessions on destination competitiveness, workforce readiness, technology, investment and scalable solutions.

The event took place two days ahead of World Tourism Day on Sept. 27 and was co-chaired by government and industry figures including Jamaica's Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, South Africa’s Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, and chief executives from Genesys, Zurich Insurance Group and Destinations International.