RIYADH, September 2026: Riyadh is preparing to host the second TOURISE Global Tourism Summit from March 23 to 25, 2027, bringing together leaders from tourism, investment, technology, transport, culture and sustainability to discuss the forces shaping the next era of global travel.
The 2027 summit will be held under the theme “Alliances That Move the World”, reflecting a focus on cross-sector partnerships and the role of collaboration in turning tourism ambitions into investment, commercial opportunities and long-term initiatives.
Tourism Minister and TOURISE Chairman Ahmed Al-Khateeb formally announced the second edition during an event at Wadi Safar in Diriyah, with the summit held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
A platform designed for deals and investment
One of the most prominent elements of TOURISE 2027 will be its focus on investment.
Al-Khateeb has invited investors from around the world to use the summit as a platform to announce future transactions and investments in tourism, positioning the event as more than a conventional industry conference.
The inaugural TOURISE Summit in November 2025 announced $113 billion in portfolio investments spanning hotels, integrated destinations, wellness, retail, talent development and AI-powered platforms, according to the official TOURISE platform.
The 2027 edition is expected to build on that foundation by creating additional opportunities for investors, operators, technology companies and government stakeholders to connect directly.
Tourism as an interconnected ecosystem
A central message behind TOURISE is that tourism cannot develop effectively in isolation.
Hotels depend on airlines and airports to bring visitors. Airlines require efficient infrastructure and sufficient demand, while destinations need hospitality, entertainment, retail, food and beverage and transportation services to create a complete visitor experience.
The summit therefore aims to bring together travel companies, destination management organizations, online travel agencies, airlines, airports and hotels alongside companies operating in entertainment, retail and food and beverage.
This approach treats tourism as an interconnected economic ecosystem rather than a collection of separate industries.
AI and the future of tourism
Artificial intelligence will be another major topic at the summit as the technology continues to influence travel planning, customer service, destination management and tourism operations.
At the same time, TOURISE is examining the implications of AI for employment and human interaction within the tourism industry.
The summit’s agenda emphasizes that the future of tourism will be shaped by connections between technology, capital, infrastructure, culture and commerce.
The challenge will be finding the right balance between technological efficiency and the human experiences that remain central to travel.
Keeping tourism human
The human dimension of tourism is expected to remain a major theme throughout TOURISE 2027.
Travel is not only about booking flights or hotels through digital platforms. It also involves meeting people, experiencing local cultures and interacting with communities.
That makes the relationship between technology and human service increasingly important as AI becomes embedded across the travel journey.
TOURISE is therefore exploring how the sector can adopt emerging technologies while preserving the personal and cultural elements that make destinations distinctive.
Global leaders across multiple industries
The 2027 summit will bring together public- and private-sector leaders from tourism, technology, investment, sustainability, culture, mobility and government.
The first confirmed speakers include executives and leaders associated with organizations such as Marriott International, Booking Holdings, KAYAK, Technogym and Kerten Hospitality, with further speakers expected to be announced.
The program will include discussions, workshops and partner-led sessions designed to encourage interaction across traditional industry boundaries.
Dedicated spaces for commercial meetings
TOURISE 2027 will also provide dedicated meeting facilities, with between 20 and 30 meeting rooms planned for participants, guests and speakers to meet potential partners and discuss commercial opportunities.
The initiative reflects the summit’s broader effort to move beyond discussion and create practical opportunities for partnerships and investment.
According to TOURISE, the summit is built around three broad objectives: connecting leaders across sectors, exploring emerging ideas and technologies, and turning conversations into initiatives that continue beyond the event itself.
A year-round global platform
TOURISE is also designed to operate beyond its annual summit.
Since its launch, the platform has positioned itself as a year-round forum for research, dialogue, workshops and international engagement, allowing stakeholders to continue discussing the major forces affecting global tourism between summit editions.
The organizers say the objective is to maintain an ongoing conversation among governments, businesses, investors and tourism leaders and help them make more informed decisions about the future of the industry.
Building on the inaugural summit
The first TOURISE Summit, held in Riyadh in November 2025, attracted nearly 10,000 tourism industry representatives from more than 100 countries, according to organizers.
It generated 46 announcements and 40 memorandums of understanding, alongside a shared declaration outlining a vision for the next 50 years of global tourism.
The second edition will seek to build on those connections while placing greater emphasis on investment, alliances and practical outcomes.
Three days focused on tourism’s next era
From March 23 to 25, 2027, Riyadh will host three days of high-level discussions, networking and cross-sector engagement focused on the future of global tourism.
The questions on the agenda extend well beyond traditional tourism issues: how will traveler demand change, where will investment flow, how will destinations compete, and how will technology transform the way people move, experience and connect?
With “Alliances That Move the World” as its central theme, TOURISE 2027 is placing collaboration between governments, businesses, investors and technology providers at the center of its vision for tourism’s next chapter.
As the global industry adapts to rapid technological, economic and geopolitical changes, the Riyadh summit is set to provide a forum where those changes can be examined not only as challenges, but also as potential areas for new partnerships, investments and business opportunities.
