ATM 2025 will shine a spotlight on Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding tourism sector and its ambitious, future-driven vision.Leading exhibitors at this year’s event include SAUDIA, Riyadh Air, and Cruise Saudi, among other key industry players.

Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector continues to demonstrate remarkable growth, welcoming 30 million international visitors in 2024 — a 9.5% increase compared to the previous year. This upward momentum will be prominently featured at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, where Saudi Arabia will showcase its latest milestones, unveil new projects, and present its vision of becoming a premier global destination.

ATM 2025 will host a strong presence from the Kingdom, featuring major exhibitors including the Saudi Tourism Authority, SAUDIA, flynas, Qiddiya Investment Company, Sixth Gulf Travel Company, Taiba Investment, Makkah Clock Royal Tower - A Fairmont Hotel, Cruise Saudi, and L'azure Hospitality. New participants this year include flyadeal, Riyadh Air, Diriyah Company, Aseer, BAAN Holding Group, Makkah Hotel & Towers, Alhussam Tourism, and StayKSA.

These exhibitors will be spotlighted in the dedicated Saudi Land Hall — an expanded edition of last year's ATM Saudi Village — designed to represent the Kingdom’s culture, heritage, and tourism, reflecting the 16% increase in Saudi exhibitor participation this year.

Recent research by VIDEC, on behalf of ATM, underscores Saudi Arabia’s status as the largest and fastest-growing economy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. In 2023, Saudi Arabia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached USD 1.1 trillion, with a per capita GDP of USD 32,500, affirming its significant influence in the regional economy.

The report also highlights the Kingdom’s ongoing diversification efforts, with the non-oil sector now contributing 63% to the national GDP, up from 39% in 2000. Inbound leisure tourism has seen strong growth as well, increasing from 1.12 million visitors in 2019 to 6.2 million in 2023. Domestic travel similarly rose from 48 million trips to 78 million over the same period.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, stated:

'Saudi Tourism Authority’s ongoing commitment to ATM reflects Saudi Arabia’s rapid evolution into a world-class tourism hub. This year’s event will feature one of the strongest Saudi representations yet, with leading airlines, hospitality brands, and cruise operators taking centre stage.'

According to VIDEC, Saudi Arabia’s Total Air Market (TAM) is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.2%, reaching USD 11.3 billion by 2028. The international air travel market is expected to grow even faster, with a CAGR of 14.1% over the same period, driven by SAUDIA’s expansion efforts and Riyadh Air’s ambitious plans to connect the Kingdom to over 100 cities by 2030.

The Kingdom’s hotel sector also stands out, accounting for 60% of the GCC’s hotel market in 2024. Domestic travelers drive approximately 70% of the Gross Booking Value (GBV). With 40,000 hotels under development and an estimated 320,000 new rooms in the pipeline, Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is set for unprecedented growth.

Saudi Arabia’s expanding influence in the global travel industry will be explored through the ATM 2025 Conference Programme, spread across three stages — the Global Stage, the Future Stage, and the New Business Events Stage — featuring 68 sessions led by 185 high-profile speakers.

Key sessions include:

On 28 April, Turky Kari, Executive Director of Marketing at AROYA Cruises, will participate in a panel discussion on the Considerations and Implications of Involving Communities in Destination Revitalization.

Abulkarim Aldarwish, MEA President of the Saudi Tourism Authority, will join industry leaders to discuss Big Ticket Events: Global Impact and Learnings.

ATM 2025 is expected to welcome over 55,000 attendees and showcase more than 2,800 exhibitors from 161 global destinations. The event will centre around the theme, 'Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity,' emphasizing the transformative power of global connections.

Strategic partners for ATM 2025 include Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) as Destination Partner, Emirates as Official Airline Partner, IHG Hotels & Resorts as Official Hotel Partner, and Al Rais Travel as Official DMC Partner.