Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia 2025 is officially underway at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, taking place from 11-13 May.
Under the theme “Where Vision Shapes Opportunity,” FHS Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s most influential hospitality investment conference, brings together hospitality leaders, investors and decision-makers to discuss hotel performance and development, the outlook for hospitality investment in the Kingdom and the key market trends driving the sector.
The official opening remarks were delivered this morning by His Highness Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid Al Saud, Secretary General, King Faisal Foundation (KFF) and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Al Khozama Investment Company.
Hospitality in Saudi Arabia is no longer just about infrastructure or service – it’s about identity, culture, talent, and future leadership. It is about creating opportunities for the people of this country to tell their story, and to shape the experience of those who come to discover it. HH Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid, Secretary General, King Faisal Foundation
The address was delivered in the distinguished presence of Mahmoud Abdulhadi, Deputy minister of tourism for destination enablement, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, who also took to the stage to discuss “Where Vision Shapes Opportunity”.
The FHS Saudi Arabia program, which covers everything from start-ups to staffing and innovation to investment over three days, features 150+ speakers across 80 sessions in 18 different content tracks, covering key themes including Investment, Financing & Real Estate, Destination Development, Technology & Innovation, Sustainability & ESG, and Luxury, F&B and Experiential Hospitality.
We are delighted to be back at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, thanks to our host sponsor Al Khozama Investment and look forward to a very exciting few days of strong debate and valuable insights from the region’s most respected and experienced leaders to help shape the future of our industry. Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench, organizer of FHS Saudi Arabia
Khalid Saud AbuHaimed, Chief Executive Officer, Al Khozama Investment, commented: Our partnership with FHS reflects our belief in the power of hospitality to drive opportunity and excellence.
The event kicked off yesterday with the launch of the NextGen: Investment Forum, a brand new, first-of-its-kind event that tackled the key issues and opportunities surrounding education, training, and talent retention in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality industry. With 1 million new tourism jobs predicted by 2030 and 320,000 new hotel rooms, investing in the next generation of leaders in hospitality is fundamental to delivering KSA’s Vision 2030 goals.
The action-packed agenda features a wide variety of session formats from main stage keynotes, panel discussions and exclusive leadership conversations, master classes, roundtable discussions and networking sessions. In addition to the main conference programme a record number of signing ceremonies for new projects and partnerships are set to take place this year, following USD$ 1.1 billion in business opportunities announced at FHS Saudi Arabia in 2024.
About The Bench
The Bench has built a legacy as a global curator of opportunity, designing transformative forums and summits that empower the hospitality and travel industries to connect, innovate, and thrive. With over two decades of expertise, The Bench creates platforms that go beyond transactions to inspire collaboration and drive meaningful change.
Each event brings together government leaders, tourism ministries, global travel associations, leading hospitality brands, hotel owners and investors, airlines, destination developers, and more. From flagship gatherings like FHS World (formerly AHIC) and FHS Saudi Arabia, to the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) and AviaDev, The Bench creates events where ideas spark, relationships deepen, and investments take flight.
The Bench thrives on fostering dynamic and forward-looking dialogues, uniting industry pioneers to address challenges, seize opportunities, and co-create the future. Each event is crafted to deliver more than just connections – it’s about transforming ideas into action and building a better tomorrow.
Discover more at thebench.com.
About FHS Saudi Arabia
Dates: 11-13 May 2025
Location: Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sponsors: Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh and Al Khozama Investment as Host Sponsors; Tourism Development Fund (TDF) as Enablement Partner; Taiba Investments as Founding Partner; Ministry of Tourism as Strategic Enabler; Al Rajhi Bank, Amsa Hospitality, Baraka for Real Estate Development & Investment Company, Elaf Group, NEOM, Red Sea Global, Rua Al Madinah, Saudi Icon, The Ascott, and as Strategic Partners; Accor, BWH Hotels, ClubMed, IHG, Marriott International, Radisson Hotel Group, Rotana, and Sommet Education as Headline Sponsors; Aleph Hospitality, ARC-IDC, Ark People Solutions, AtkinsRealis, Baker McKenzie, CBRE, Colliers, Compass Project Consulting, Deloitte, ELE|NA, Growth Partner, H World International, Horwath HTL, IHCL, Jabal Omar, JLL, JT+P, Knight Frank, Louvre Hotels Group, Minor Hotels, Quo, Story Hospitality, STR, The First Group Hospitality, United Hospitality Management, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as Sponsors; Al Tanfeethi as Hospitality Partner; Rikaz as Experiential Developer; Aristara, Dusit International, Hospitality Chain Co, Hospitality Management Holding, Melia Hotels International, Neo Leap, Rove Hotels, Shaza Hotels, Sophos Hotels, Time Hotels, Trustangle, TV5Monde, Valor Hospitality Partners, and WhiteWater as Exhibitors; Aquivio, Intello AI, and The Natural Bottle as Startup Sponsors.
Anne Bleeker
In2 Consulting
+971 56 603 0886
The Bench
