Saudi Arabia Unveils 'TOURISE': Global Tourism Platform to Shape Industry’s Next 50 Years

Saudi Arabia has unveiled a pioneering global tourism platform called TOURISE, aimed at steering the future of the international tourism industry over the next 50 years.

 This strategic initiative marks a significant milestone in the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to diversify its economy, modernize its sectors, and assert its role as a global leader in sustainable development. With a vision that extends across half a century, TOURISE is designed to foster collaboration between public and private entities worldwide, serving as a central hub for dialogue, innovation, and long-term planning within the tourism ecosystem.

Announced under the banner of Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 reform agenda, TOURISE is positioned as a transformative tool to reshape how countries and companies approach tourism development. It will connect governments, tourism boards, international organizations, investors, technology providers, and academic institutions to co-create a forward-looking roadmap that prioritizes inclusivity, sustainability, and digital integration. By bridging these diverse perspectives, TOURISE aims to address pressing challenges facing the industry, such as environmental degradation, over-tourism, workforce disruption, and uneven global recovery from recent crises.

The platform's first major event, the TOURISE Summit, is scheduled to take place in November in Riyadh, bringing together world leaders, ministers, CEOs, and experts for high-level discussions and strategic collaboration. This summit will serve as the launchpad for TOURISE’s ambitious agenda, which includes the development of a global tourism strategy aligned with environmental goals and technological trends. Key themes expected at the summit include sustainable destination management, cultural heritage preservation, digital transformation, and economic resilience.

Officials overseeing TOURISE’s development have emphasized the need for a long-term vision that transcends conventional short-term tourism planning. While many global tourism summits focus on immediate market trends, TOURISE stands apart with its 50-year strategic horizon. This future-facing perspective is intended to help stakeholders anticipate and prepare for seismic shifts in travel behaviors, climate change impacts, and technological advancements, positioning the industry to be proactive rather than reactive.

Saudi Arabia, which has made remarkable progress in opening up to international visitors in recent years, is leveraging its experience as a rapidly growing tourism destination to inform the platform. From the introduction of e-visas and the promotion of heritage sites to hosting major international events, the Kingdom has demonstrated its capability to execute bold initiatives in tourism development. TOURISE is seen as a continuation and expansion of these efforts, offering a platform for global collaboration based on shared values and mutual benefit.

The platform will also emphasize environmental sustainability as a core pillar, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s broader green initiatives such as the Saudi Green and Middle East Green projects. Through TOURISE, the Kingdom aims to promote low-carbon tourism, support the development of green infrastructure, and advocate for responsible tourism practices that benefit both people and the planet. Conservation efforts, community engagement, and climate-conscious travel policies will all be critical elements in the TOURISE agenda.

In addition to its physical events, TOURISE is expected to feature a robust digital platform that will function year-round, offering stakeholders tools for networking, data analysis, policy development, and knowledge sharing. This online component will allow global access to the platform’s resources and ensure ongoing engagement beyond annual summits. Through this digital presence, TOURISE intends to democratize access to high-level tourism planning and foster a more inclusive global conversation.

Industry observers and global institutions have welcomed the announcement, recognizing TOURISE as a timely initiative in a world where tourism is rapidly transforming in response to technological disruption and evolving traveler expectations. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the fragility of the tourism sector and the importance of resilience and adaptability. With TOURISE, Saudi Arabia seeks to offer a bold response that not only addresses these vulnerabilities but also charts a stable and innovative path forward.

The success of TOURISE will largely depend on the strength of the partnerships it is able to forge across continents and sectors. Saudi officials have indicated that outreach has already begun to engage stakeholders from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, with the goal of making TOURISE a truly global platform. These collaborations will be vital in shaping policies that are not only locally responsive but globally coherent and future-ready.

As anticipation builds for the November summit in Riyadh, the tourism world is watching closely. The platform is expected to generate a series of white papers, policy recommendations, and investment blueprints that will serve as foundational documents for the industry’s long-term transformation. These outputs will be developed in consultation with experts and partners and will form the basis of TOURISE’s evolving 50-year strategic framework.

Ultimately, TOURISE is more than just a conference or policy forum—it is a declaration of intent by Saudi Arabia to lead the world into a new era of tourism. It reflects a deep understanding of tourism’s role in job creation, cultural exchange, and economic diversification. It also signals a willingness to invest in the kind of visionary thinking required to make tourism a force for good in the 21st century and beyond.

In launching TOURISE, Saudi Arabia is not merely positioning itself as a destination—it is stepping forward as a global architect of tourism’s future, bringing together innovation, leadership, and long-term commitment in a platform that could shape the industry for generations to come.

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