Future Hospitality Summit, the hybrid virtual conference developed to explore big ideas and tackle the challenges facing the hospitality industry – finished up the second and final day of its 3-pillar programme yesterday, which included live stage sessions, networking, and roundtable discussions.
Organised by the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and G20 Saudi Secretariat, as part of The International Conferences Programme, honouring the G20 Saudi presidency year 2020, and powered by Bench Digital – Day 2 of FHS picked up where the opening day left off, as more than 6,500 hospitality industry professionals from 140 countries across the globe were welcomed back.
Industry captains, government leaders, media powerhouses, and innovators all came together once again to focus on understanding the new hospitality landscape, collaborating and assessing opportunities, and innovating to recreate the industry’ future.
After Yasir Alsaggaf (MC, Future Hospitality Summit) officially kicked off Day 2, H.E. Khalid al-Falih (Minister of Investment, Saudi Arabia) joined CNN’s John Defterios for a one-on-one discussion, during which he offered his insights and expertise on what it takes to attract new investments in the tourism industry.
Speaking about Saudi Arabia’s immense potential to become one of the world’s most popular hospitality and tourism destinations over the coming decade, H.E. Khalid al-Falih (Minister of Investment, Saudi Arabia) said, “We recognise that while we can offer tourists beautiful beaches and scenery, along with exciting urban developments, here in Saudi Arabia, they are looking for more. They are also looking for experiences, for culture, and to witness history as it unfolds, which is exactly what we can provide.”
He continued, “The Kingdom has a rich heritage that is still undiscovered. Saudi Arabia has been hosting pilgrims and Umrah visitors since our country’s establishment, but Makkah and Medina themselves have been doing that for more than 14,000 years. We are set to significantly upgrade the Umrah experience for people, while increasing the numbers of Umrah visitors from 8 million to 30 million per year over the coming years. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s airport capacities will grow to accommodate 100 million passengers per year by 2030, alongside the development of major projects and opportunities for the private sector and investors.”
