Over 1,000 global cross-industry and government leaders are expected to attend a three-day interactive programme this December in one of the world’s fastest growing MICE destinations – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
The Saudi MICE market is projected to expand exponentially with hallmark events such as World Expo 2030, expected to attract 40.7m visits to KSA alone.
This growing demand is to be accommodated by the launch of a new airline and airport expansion, one million square metres of expected venue space and 854,000 hotel rooms by 2030.
The International MICE Summit (IMS24) will be hosted, 15-17 December 2024 at Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City (MISK) in Riyadh, hosted by the Saudi Conventions & Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA).
Under the theme of ‘Expanding Horizons, the event programme is designed to unite MICE industry leaders, suppliers, associations, Giga-Project leaders, disruptors and international cross-industry and government leaders.
“In a time marked by profound technological and environmental transformation, the MICE industry has emerged as an essential catalyst of change. By focusing on the future of the industry, IMS24 addresses the needs of a globalised world – reshaping how people, cultures and countries connect to create prosperity,” said IMS host and chairman of SCEGA, His Excellency Fahd Al-Rasheed (pictured).
“The Kingdom has embraced its own transformation by shaping the future of the global tourism industry and becoming the fastest growing major MICE destination among G20 countries,” His Excellency added.
MICE events in Saudi Arabia witnessed an increase of close to 15% in 2023, with almost 17,000 events. IMS24 coincides with the Kingdom’s continued transformation as Saudi Arabia solidifies itself as a major global tourism and events destination. Welcoming almost 110m visitors in 2023, tourism comprises six percent of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, equating to 255bn SAR (US$68bn). The Saudi MICE sector is expected to accelerate growth through the rapid expansion of transportation and event infrastructure, supported by the development of Giga-projects offering destination experiences, and enhanced connectivity between the Kingdom and the rest of the world. SCEGA continues to drive these transformative developments, most recently in announcing a 588 million SAR (US$150m) incentive programme to support marquee events in 2025.
For more information or to register for IMS24, visit: www.internationalmicesummit.com
