The exhibition economy: how expos became Vision 2030's quiet engine

The Kingdom's MICE sector is on track to cross SAR 50 billion by 2030, driven by purpose-built venues, streamlined visas and a packed calendar of anchor events. Riyadh alone has added more than 500,000 sqm of new exhibition space in the last three years, with another 1.2 million sqm under construction across the country. Combined with a national e-visa that covers 66 nationalities and a mandatory 96-hour stopover program, the numbers are starting to rival Dubai at comparable stages.