The Riyadh Economic Forum will hold its 12th session on 12–14 October 2026 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, with ministers, public and private sector specialists, academics and business owners participating. The forum has presented more than 57 economic studies over its history, many of which became government initiatives and decisions.
if you want policy input rather than policy news, October is the window. Submissions and positioning happen before the session, not during it, so start now.
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Saudi carries half of Gulf tourism
Saudi Arabia's travel and tourism sector contributed $178 billion to the economy in 2025, 46% of the entire Middle East's travel and tourism economy, growing 7.4%, nearly double the global rate of 4.1%, with international visitor spending up 8.2% against a 3.2% global rate.
Nearly half of the entire region's tourism economy now lies in Saudi Arabia, growing at twice the global rate, a shift large enough that the map of Middle Eastern travel needs to be redrawn before the guidebooks catch up.
Ten billion and a December date
AWS is investing $10.3 billion in Saudi Arabia, including $5.3 billion (SAR 19.9 billion) in a cloud region with 3 independent availability zones launching in December 2026, and more than $5 billion in an AI zone with HUMAIN targeting 50 megawatts by 2028 and deploying up to 150,000 AI accelerators. AWS projects $191 billion of economic value from cloud services by 2033, will train 100,000 Saudi nationals including a free programme for 10,000 women, and is integrating curriculum at 11 Saudi universities.
This commitment applies to both general cloud services and AI. If you manage enterprise IT, plan your regular migration for the December launch instead of waiting for an AI project to justify the move.
What BNPL actually earns
Argaam's read on the sector after SAMA lifted the BNPL financing ceiling to SAR 10,000 puts the Saudi market at $4.96 billion in 2025, $5.29 billion in 2026 and $7.31 billion by 2031, a 6.66% compound rate overall, against 28.85% for bank-linked BNPL services and 33.97% for the healthcare segment. Tabby ran an effective financing yield of 19.5% on $1.6 billion of assets in Q1 2026, Tamara 31.7% on $1.8 billion.
There is no longer a single economic model for BNPL services. The 19.5% and 31.7% market segments operate as distinct businesses. Banks, compounding at 28.85%, benefit from lower funding costs and established customer relationships. As a result, standalone BNPL providers should prioritize their cost of capital over market share.
