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İstanbul, the vibrant global metropolis of Türkiye, supported by a vast infrastructure that includes 41 congress centres, 225 art galleries, and a wide range of design programmes across 27 universities, stands as a true cultural and artistic hub. This rich ecosystem has enabled the city to host an average of over 20 international arts and design events each year, bringing together diverse creative voices from around the world. Building on this strong foundation, the city continues to expand its global cultural presence. One of the latest highlights is the Global Design Forum İstanbul, which took place for the first time on May 13–16, 2026. As it joins the city’s dynamic programme of international events, the forum further reinforces İstanbul’s role as a meeting point for the global design community within its uniquely layered cultural landscape. Four-Layered Experiences Across Four Days The Global Design Forum, hosted by the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of the London Design Festival for over 15 years, stands as a leading international thought-leadership platform in the design world. The İstanbul edition of the event, supported by Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, among other international stakeholders, aims to spotlight Türkiye’s creative-industry potential globally and position İstanbul as a dynamic hub on the design stage. Curatorial approach shaped by Melek Zeynep Bulut, grounded in “site-specificity”, the Global Design Forum İstanbul is conceived not merely as an event programme but as “a performance within the city.” This performance unfolds through four distinct layers of experience. In “Placemaking,” the first leg of the programme, a series of temporary design installations will be placed across the Topkapı Palaces Complex and unique corners of the Historic Peninsula. Produced through collaborations between universities and both local and international design studios, these installations will transform the city into an open-air laboratory for design research. Under the theme “Rethinking”, an international design competition will be held to reimagine İstanbul’s garden culture. On the other hand, the “İstanbullar” programme, implemented through a narrative approach, builds an interactive network in which the city’s creatives can contribute visually, audibly and editorially. At the heart of the program, the forum is framed around the theme “Worlds in Contact”. Exploring what design means in an era of interconnected crises, the forum features a two-day lineup of sessions, presentations, and discussions bringing together international and local designers, thinkers, and artists. İstanbul: Sui Generis City of Arts, Culture and Design İstanbul has long inspired artists and designers with its unique energy, shaped by the many civilisations and cultures it has hosted throughout history. The city stands as a compelling place where history, craftsmanship and contemporary design converge. Renowned for its breathtaking historic architecture, İstanbul is also home to a new generation of talented designers and artists, as well as well-established cultural institutions. Its vibrant creative scene is further enriched by a wide range of international events, from large-scale festivals to independent art initiatives, including the İstanbul Biennial, Contemporary İstanbul, İstanbul Music Festival, CI Bloom, and İstanbul Film Festival. The city’s creative landscape requires slow discovery, revealing a rewarding experience with a wide range of things to explore, from architectural landmarks that shape İstanbul’s creative rhythm to cool neighbourhoods where tradition and innovation meet. Moreover, the lively metropolis’s dynamic arts scene unfolds this year with many planned events, ensuring unparalleled cultural experiences.

Saudi Arabia’s MICE market is projected to surpass US$5 billion by 2031 as Vision 2030 investments position the Kingdom among the world’s leading business events destinations WTM Spotlight Riyadh will also highlight opportunities across Saudi Arabia’s outbound MICE sectors, offering global destinations direct access to a rapidly maturing outbound market as planners increasingly prioritise strategic, ROI-driven international programmes WTM Spotlight Riyadh will make its debut from 8 – 10 September at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC) As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda, the Kingdom’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments within its tourism ecosystem. Against this backdrop, WTM Spotlight Riyadh will serve as a global platform to showcase the country’s expanding capacity to host world-class business events, bringing and connecting international planners with opportunities across the Kingdom. According to Mordor Intelligence, Saudi Arabia’s MICE market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 9.82% through to 2031, reaching US$5.65 billion, reflecting the Kingdom’s substantial investment in venues, aviation, hospitality, and supporting infrastructure.  Government spending on business event venues reached US$1.3 billion in 2023 across Riyadh and Jeddah alone, while millions of square metres of new exhibition space, thousands of hotel rooms and expanded airport capacity are being delivered to meet growing delegate demand. Underscoring the scale of growth in the MICE market across the wider MENA region, the Saudi Tourism Society has outlined an industry forecast projecting US$100 billion in 2035, with Saudi Arabia ranked among the region’s top three destinations for business events. Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, commented: “Saudi Arabia’s MICE sector is entering a period of extraordinary growth. With market value projected to exceed US$5.5 billion by 2031, business events are pivotal in accelerating tourism development, driving demand for premium hotels, and strengthening international partnerships. “WTM Spotlight Riyadh provides a focused platform to showcase the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding event infrastructure and connect global planners with on-the-ground stakeholders.” Globally, the MICE market is expected to reach over US$3 trillion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights, with Saudi Arabia becoming an increasingly influential outbound MICE market. As Saudi companies expand globally and diversify their operations in line with Vision 2030 priorities, the demand for international meetings, corporate travel programmes, and large-scale incentive experiences is growing rapidly. This shift is changing how Saudi organisations handle international events and incentive travel. Corporate planners are shifting from traditional reward-based incentive models toward more strategic, performance-focused programmes aimed at boosting employee engagement, building global partnerships, and achieving measurable business results. As a result, destinations are increasingly judged not just by their prestige or size but also by their operational efficiency, accessibility, cultural richness, and capacity to foster meaningful corporate engagement. For international destinations, convention bureaux, hotels and event venues, this development offers a significant opportunity. Saudi companies are looking for destinations that offer sophisticated event infrastructure, upscale hospitality, streamlined logistics, and curated cultural experiences that meet the expectations of a new generation of globally minded Saudi executives and professionals. WTM Spotlight Riyadh will act as a dedicated platform for international exhibitors to connect directly with this rapidly growing market. By bringing together Saudi corporate travel organisers, procurement specialists, event organisers, and incentive agencies, the event will enable global destinations and suppliers to showcase their venues, services, and event solutions directly to decision-makers shaping the Kingdom’s outbound MICE programmes. “Saudi Arabia’s outbound MICE sector is rapidly evolving, with corporate planners moving beyond traditional incentive travel towards more strategic, ROI-driven international programmes that support business growth and employee engagement,” said Curtis. “WTM Spotlight Riyadh will offer direct access to Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding MICE procurement pipeline, allowing global destinations, venues, and hospitality brands to connect with corporate buyers and decision-makers who are driving the Kingdom’s growing outbound meetings and incentive travel market,” she concluded. As part of the dedicated conference programme, the discussion will explore what event organisers and incentive buyers need from Saudi Arabia, where the Kingdom’s business events ecosystem can continue to mature, and how business events can generate long-term tourism and destination value under Vision 2030. By bringing together inbound and outbound MICE opportunities, WTM Spotlight Riyadh, which will take place from 8 – 10 September at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC), will underscore how Saudi Arabia is influencing the regional and global business events ecosystem.  To register your interest in attending WTM Spotlight Riyadh, please click here. For exhibitor enquiries, please click here.