The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia will host the region’s first NextGen Investment Forum on 11 May. This landmark event tackles education, training, and talent retention challenges in the Kingdom’s booming hospitality sector. Over 30 speakers will join curated roundtable discussions, fostering solution-driven dialogue to shape workforce development.
Vision 2030 Fuels Hospitality and Tourism Expansion
Industry experts emphasize that investing in future hospitality leaders is crucial for achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals. The forum will address skill gaps, career pathways, and female empowerment in tourism. Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of FHS organizer The Bench, highlighted, “Saudi’s hospitality sector aims to create one million jobs, add 320,000 hotel rooms, and boost GDP by $46 billion by 2030.”
With Saudi Arabia targeting 150 million annual tourists by 2030, Worsley stressed the urgency of investing in education. The forum will unite government bodies, universities, tech firms, and giga-projects to build a robust talent ecosystem. Public-private partnerships will drive innovation, ensuring the industry meets global standards.
Four Pillars Define NextGen Forum Agenda
Discussions will focus on four themes: workforce investment, academia-industry alignment, education funding, and talent retention strategies. Key topics include AI integration, remote work trends, student housing design, and boosting female participation—currently at 8% in hospitality.
Confirmed speakers include Dr. Abeer Alamri (Ministry of Tourism), Dr. Fabien Fresnel (Riyadh School of Tourism), A.J Singh (Hospitality and Tourism Management), and Lameese Damiri (UNTO). Worsley added, “This collaborative platform will deliver actionable solutions to shape Saudi’s hospitality future.”
FHS Saudi Arabia runs from May 11-13 in Riyadh under the theme “Where Vision Shapes Opportunity.” Organizers expect over 1,400 delegates, reinforcing the Kingdom’s role as a global hospitality hub.
