By Rafiq Vayani
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambition to welcome 150 million annual visitors by 2030, alongside an estimated USD 6.3 billion in potential private global real estate investment, is accelerating demand for integrated destinations that combine hospitality, retail, leisure and residential development. Taking place 16-19 November at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre (Malham), Saudi Arabia, Cityscape Global 2026 brings together the industry leaders driving this next phase of growth.
Across international markets, experience-led developments are redefining how real estate creates long-term value. Mixed-use districts that combine hospitality, retail, entertainment, culture and branded residences are attracting greater investor interest by creating year-round communities and diversified revenue streams.
Diriyah has exhibited at Cityscape Global since the event launch in Riyadh in 2023 and is among the landmark developments helping advance Saudi Arabia’s integrated mix-use developments agenda. Building on the introduction of Capitals by Cityscape Global, which convened investors representing USD 6.1 trillion in real estate and infrastructure assets under management in 2025, the programme will explore the partnerships, investment models and commercial opportunities driving Saudi Arabia’s visitor economy.
Jerry Inzerillo, Group Chief Executive Officer, Diriyah Company, said, “Saudi Arabia’s destination developments are creating new opportunities across hospitality, culture, and mixed-use real estate. Delivering long-term value will depend on collaboration between developers, investors, operators and the public sector. Cityscape Global provides an important platform for those conversations as the market continues to evolve.”
The Future of Living Summit, Cityscape Global’s main stage, will spotlight Destinations & Experiences, exploring how hospitality, retail, mixed-use development and placemaking are transforming major developments into vibrant, year-round communities. The agenda will examine the strategies behind the most successful visitor economies and the evolving role of integrated mixed-use development.
Global leaders shaping this agenda include Harris Bokhari OBE, Chair of VisitBritain; Elie Milky, Chief Development Officer – MENA, Cyprus & Greece, Radisson Hotel Group; Daniel Von Barloewen, SVP & Head of Global Mixed-Use Development, Accor; and Dominique Alba, CEO of Ateliers Jean Nouvel, the practice behind Louvre Abu Dhabi and Grand Paris transformation.
Reflecting on Saudi Arabia’s ambitious tourism and urban development agenda at the 2025 Future of Living Summit, Gavin M. Faull, Chairman and President of Swiss-Belhotel International said:
“Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and Saudi Arabia has an incredible vision. The Middle East is so well placed – it sits at the crossroads of East and West. The Kingdom is developing the transport and infrastructure needed to bring more visitors here. Events drive trade, trade drives opportunity, and tourism drives the economy.”
Rachel Sturgess, Executive Vice President, Tahaluf, said, “The real estate industry worldwide is moving beyond single-asset development towards integrated destinations that combine hospitality, retail, residential and cultural experiences. Saudi Arabia is accelerating this shift at an unprecedented scale, attracting growing international interest in branded residences, hotels, and mixed-use developments. Cityscape Global 2026 will convene the leaders shaping the future of destination led development, at a time when the boundaries between real estate, tourism and hospitality have never been more interconnected.”