Meet the changemakers shaping the future of tourism

As tourism rebounds, a new platform is set to transform ambitious ideas into global connectivity.

After weathering the turbulence of half a decade of turmoil and transformation, the travel industry has recovered with more resilience than many of its counterparts. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, the sector is projected to contribute $11.7 trillion to the global economy in 2025, or 10.3% of global GDP, an all-time high matching its pre-pandemic share of the global economy.

But that doesn’t mean things have stayed the same. Demand has evolved in line with matured traveler standards; personalization is a prerequisite and seamless digital experiences a must. Climate risk is intensifying, airports and destinations face capacity constraints, and rapid advances in AI are turning planning, operations, and service inside out.

TOURISE - launching in Riyadh, November 11–13, 2025 - is designed to meet these challenges head-on. Bringing together innovators from across the travel spectrum, it will provide a stage to explore ideas and ensure tourism is a progressive and growing industry.

A new operating system

Tourism’s strength has always been connection, and now it needs to fully embody this concept. International travelers increasingly expect digital-first, streamlined journeys. The Hilton 2024 Trends Report found that 80% of travelers want to book entirely online, while IATA’s Global Passenger Survey reports 75% prefer using biometrics to paper documents. Taken together, these figures speak to the need to build interoperable systems that match a change in traveler expectations.

With a mandate to challenge the status quo, TOURISE’s ambition is to convert dialogue into deals, deals into pilots, pilots into programs, and programs into standards that scale worldwide. Its year-round output will include white papers and global indices that set new benchmarks for performance.

“TOURISE will unite the right people to develop innovative solutions and build partnerships,” H.E. Al-Khateeb continues. “This will make the tourism sector more resilient, connected, and inclusive than ever before.”

Five questions that matter

At its launch conference in November, TOURISE hopes to become a central voice in the future of tourism by tackling five of its most pressing issues.

First is disruptive tech. TOURISE wants to widen access to machine learning, which already personalizes search, prices, and airport flows, while using AI to cut emissions, lift service quality, and safeguard workforce upskilling. Closely linked is borders and connectivity. Digital visas and biometrics can now deliver near-frictionless journeys, but the real test is interoperability and how to innovate without sacrificing security or excluding those with limited digital access.

Equally urgent is destination design. Next-generation travel must work for residents first so that visitor spend strengthens local economies, not weakens them. Centering communities also brings the experience economy in line with traveler expectations in 2025. Tourists are looking for encounters that promote personal meaning and purpose rather than excess. Success will be reserved for those who leave a place better than they found it.

This shift ultimately explains why the race for market share is evolving into a contest of narrative. Brands and destinations that prove impact by connecting the world fairly are the ones that will build long-term loyalty and demand.

Promise to proof

With many of the most innovative initiatives still lacking common baselines, transparent reporting, and financing models that reward measurable impact, the question remains: can the future of travel move from promise to proof?

When TOURISE launches at its opening summit in November, it hopes to build international consensus on the partners and programs that will create growth and resilience for the industry to move forward as one.

That desire can be felt keenly in the recently announced TOURISE Awards, which will recognize the innovators already delivering connected travel. Nominations opened on June 1, 2025, with a prestigious jury of global industry leaders now selecting the winners to be honored during the November summit.

TOURISE takes Saudi’s growing role as a major contributor to global tourism and extends it through a global platform designed to benefit all. If it succeeds, the industry will leave Riyadh with a shared agenda that will enhance connected travel for decades to come.

Learn more or register interest here.