Saudi Arabia’s exhibition capacity grew 32% year-on-year in 2025, with SCEGA reporting major expansions across key provinces as the Kingdom prepares to host global MICE leaders.
Saudi Arabia’s business events sector has recorded its strongest annual expansion to date, with the Saudi Conventions & Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA) reporting a 32% year-on-year increase in national exhibition capacity. The latest figures, published in the Authority’s November 2025 event infrastructure snapshot, show that the Kingdom now has 923 accredited event venues, reflecting sustained investment aligned with Vision 2030 tourism and event-sector priorities.
According to SCEGA, total exhibition space across the Kingdom has grown 320% since 2018, reaching 300,520 square meters. The expansion is driven by significant developments in key provinces, including Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Province, which together account for 75% of total capacity. Major venues include Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (70,000 sq m), Jeddah Superdome (34,000 sq m) and Dhahran Expo Center (25,600 sq m). Additional regional facilities are emerging in Madinah (King Salman International Conference Center), AlUla (Maraya Hall), Asir (King Khalid University Conference Center) and Najran (Prince Mishaal Exhibition Center).
The figures come as Saudi Arabia prepares to host more than 2,000 global MICE leaders at the second International Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Summit, taking place 26–27 November in Riyadh. The event will highlight the Kingdom’s expanding business events capabilities and provide a platform for collaboration between international organisers and Saudi Arabia’s newly established destination management organisations.
His Excellency Fahd Al-Rasheed, IMS host and Chairman of SCEGA, noted during a panel at TOURISE that the Kingdom is entering a period of “unprecedented growth and opportunities” as it delivers a “golden decade of events,” including Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034. He emphasised that the MICE Summit will bring together decision-makers from across Saudi Arabia to support the tourism sector’s revised target of 150 million visitors by 2030.
Saudi Arabia surpassed its initial 2030 tourism goal of 100 million visitors seven years ahead of schedule. In the first half of 2025 alone, the Kingdom welcomed 60.9 million visitors, while tourism spending reached SAR 161.4 billion (USD 43 billion).
IMS25 will feature a programme of ministerial sessions, private-sector announcements and industry discussions, including innovation forums, a future MICE leaders’ platform and a gala event. For travel and MICE professionals, Saudi Arabia’s investment trajectory signals growing competitiveness and rapid market maturation across the region’s events landscape.