“’Being the World’s Largest Living Laboratory for Tourism’ — Inside Saudi Arabia’s Bold New Strategy”
By Yousuf Basil | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
From neuroscience to authentic human connection, Fahd Hamidaddin describes how Saudi Arabia is reimagining the traveler experience.
At the inaugural TOURISE Summit 2025 in Riyadh, the mood was unmistakable — confident, energetic, and future-focused. Just days after the United Nations Tourism General Assembly convened in the Gulf region for the first time, Saudi Arabia seized the momentum. TOURISE was more than a gathering; it marked a moment when the Kingdom signaled its intent to lead the next half-century of global tourism.
At the center of this movement stood Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority — articulating the vision of a new kind of tourism philosophy: one that blends data and empathy, technology and authenticity, ambition and soul.
Beyond Hotels and Holidays: The Consumption Economy
For Hamidaddin, the very definition of tourism is being rewritten. “Tourism,” he said, “is not just your hotel room — it’s everything you do from the moment you plan your trip to the moment you return.”
That ecosystem stretches from visa applications and flights to shopping, sports, entertainment, and mobility. In his view, the tourism economy is a “consumption economy” — vast, interconnected, and capable of uniting industries that have traditionally worked in isolation.
“Our role,” he explained, “is to bring all of them under one roof — policymakers, tech innovators, retailers, mobility providers — so that tourism becomes the common platform for solving challenges and unlocking opportunities that no single sector can achieve alone.”
The Soul of Travel
Hamidaddin described travel as both an economic and deeply emotional experience. “Travel can be a soulful experience,” he said.
To understand that soul, the Saudi Tourism Authority has launched intensive research into why people travel, not just where. “What we mean by that is you go really deep into the underlying reason why people travel before you just think of categorizing them,” he explained. You have to discover why they travel.
He identified three higher-value drivers that motivate travelers:
Connection: “There are groups that are driven by connection,” he said. “I want to go either with my spouse or I want to go with my brothers or the family and kids and my friends for the sake of finding experiences that we will together enjoy and create better connections.”
Achievement: “The second is I want to feel a sense of achievement, and I want to reward myself. I work hard, I earn, and I just want to make sure that I start making it to new places… take pictures of it, tick the bucket lists, and so on.”
Escape & Discovery: “And then you have the rest that want to escape the environment that they’re in and immerse in different places — from cultures to nature — and not just discover other places, but allow those places to help them discover themselves.”
To deepen that understanding, neuroscientists from Oxford University were enlisted to develop the Memory Ability Index, mapping what travelers remember most and why. “We try to map what drives that memorability with each and every segment,” Hamidaddin said. The insights, he explained, are shared with partners to help tailor content and experiences that resonate on an emotional level — turning data into design for more meaningful journeys.
AI = Authenticity and Innovation
Humanizing delight and the unexpected
When asked how Saudi Arabia is preparing its workforce for the future, Hamidaddin said the guiding principle behind its tourism strategy has long been what he calls the AI model — not artificial intelligence, but Authenticity and Innovation.
“We should always balance between the two,” he said, “because what you need is to digitize friction, digitize the expected, but make sure you humanize delight. You humanize the unexpected.”
He emphasized that this balance isn’t about job protection, but about enhancing the traveler experience. By using technology to handle the predictable moments and people to elevate the emotional ones, the goal, he said, is to ensure that “the last mile remains human.”
Hamidaddin describes authenticity as the power to reveal the lesser-known — small villages, neighborhoods, and cultural experiences that connect travelers to the real Saudi Arabia — while innovation drives creativity and technology forward. Yet even in a digital age, he noted, “we all will need that human interaction.”
Saudi Arabia’s Living Laboratory
As the conversation turned to future disruptors — artificial intelligence, shifting demographics, and changing traveler expectations — Hamidaddin’s answer was immediate:
“By one thing,” he said. “Being the global largest living laboratory for tourism.”
That line captured the essence of the summit and the Kingdom’s broader ambition: to make Saudi Arabia a place where ideas are tested, data informs design, and human creativity drives innovation in travel.
A New Confidence
In Riyadh, amid the hum of the TOURISE Summit, that confidence was palpable. For Hamidaddin, “looking forward” is more than a slogan — it’s a mindset. “Trends,” he said, “simply look backward. What you need is to look forward.”
If the UN Tourism meeting set the global agenda, TOURISE showed how that agenda could come to life — through authenticity, innovation, and a shared belief that travel, at its best, helps people not only explore the world, but rediscover themselves.
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Makeready: Crafting Belonging Through Design, Flavor, and Human Connection
By Yousuf Basil and Jennifer Z. Deaton | Travel and Tour World
(Interview conducted on the sidelines of IMEX America 2025, Las Vegas)
Travel and Tour World sat down with Eric Gavin, President of Operations at Makeready, for an insightful, forward-looking conversation about the brand’s ethos and vision: creating richly immersive stays that feel both curated and luxe. Think rooftops and speakeasies, destination spas, and forward-leaning food & beverage—each space layered with local culture and meticulous design. Gavin’s north star is simple: build quality, foster belonging, and let thoughtful details do the talking.
Immersive by Design
“We’re in the business of hospitality,” Gavin told Travel and Tour World at IMEX America, “and part of that is creating the immersive experiences people are seeking.”
Across the Makeready collection—from rooftop lounges to speakeasies and living-room-style gathering spaces—each detail is intentional, handcrafted to connect people through atmosphere, food, and belonging. The brand’s forward-leaning food-and-beverage philosophy threads through every property, turning each into a self-contained cultural hub.
Icons of Character
When asked which property makes him proudest, Gavin laughs. “As any good parent would say, you can’t have favorites.” But a few destinations clearly light him up: the Emeline in Charleston, a reimagined historic gem that merges Southern charm with modern creativity; the Noelle in Nashville, an immersive hotel and creative gathering place for adventurous people seeking a true Nashville encounter; and The Laylow, Autograph Collection, in Waikiki, which extends Makeready’s reach from urban sanctuaries to full resort destinations.
Each tells a story of transformation—of old bones reborn through fresh vision and contemporary design.
Where They’re Growing Next
Looking ahead, Makeready plans to expand its presence in social clubs—reflecting Gavin’s view that affluent travelers seek places of belonging, adjacent to hospitality—and deepen its footprint in resort destinations, bringing high-touch design to destination spas and the full suite of amenities guests love.
Crossroads, Not Silos
Makeready is doubling down on social clubs and independent restaurants as intentional places of belonging—spaces where today’s affluent traveler can plug into a like-minded community. Think curated coffee bars, freestanding restaurants, and gathering rooms that host mixology classes, book clubs, and chef-led events: communal venues designed as crossroads, not silos. The goal isn’t just to serve guests, but to blend guests with locals—so a business traveler, a college student, and an airline pilot might share the same table and feel equally at home.
Growth Rooted in People
Makeready’s expansion is thoughtful, not hurried. The company recently took over the Clayton Hotel & Social Club in Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood and will debut the Greenleigh Hotel in Houston next May—a 300-room property with 15,000 square feet of meeting space, a fifth-floor rooftop oasis, and a celebrity-led restaurant concept. Looking ahead to 2027, the Merchant in Columbus, Ohio, promises to be the city’s first ultra-luxury hotel, complete with a spa, fitness center, social club, and a celebrity chef restaurant on the ground level.
And while growth continues, Gavin remains grounded in what truly sustains hospitality: people. “Our cornerstone are our people, and that is truly hospitality. If you take care of your people, they will take care of your guests, and then you’ve created the perfect recipe.”
In the end, Makeready’s formula is straightforward: start with people, design for immersion, and build places of belonging—so unforgettable experiences follow.
Los Cabos: From Desert to Deep Blue—Luxury, Nature, and Safe, Seamless Meetings
By Yousuf Basil and Jennifer Z. Deaton | Travel and Tour World
(Interview conducted on the sidelines of IMEX America 2025, Las Vegas)
(Las Vegas):The Los Cabos stand paired the destination’s stunning beach-and-mountain imagery with a team whose warmth and energy came wrapped in polish and luxury. The look was confident and high-end: desert meeting deep-blue sea, presented with the kind of refinement planners expect at the top of the market.
At the center was Rodrigo Esponda, Managing Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, who shared with Travel and Tour World how this region pairs five-star comfort with marine biodiversity and safety.
Meetings with Meaning
“For Los Cabos, the meetings industry is very important,” Esponda explained. “Ten percent of all booked room nights each year come directly from meetings, incentives, or convention programs.”
According to destination research, 6% of the region’s GDP is directly tied to meetings.
With 95 hotels—averaging about 200 rooms each—Los Cabos is built to host medium-sized groups of 200–300 participants. Esponda said the destination prioritizes “quality over quantity,” adding that with most hotels at ~200 rooms, 200–300-person programs are especially well-suited to Los Cabos.
Connectivity helps: 32 U.S. cities offer nonstop flights to Los Cabos, along with 11 from Canada, a Frankfurt route twice weekly, and new service from Panama launching this November—linking North America, Europe, and South America.
To support planners, Los Cabos runs a certification program for 15 DMCs (Destination Management Companies)—local experts that design and execute group programs, from airport logistics and off-sites to CSR activities and cultural immersion. “It’s a reliable network of professional suppliers,” Esponda said, “combined with strong infrastructure, hospitality, and safety.”
Culture, Cuisine, and Creativity
Beyond logistics, Los Cabos brings a sense of place. “Even the name California originated here,” Esponda noted, reflecting the region’s Spanish colonial roots. Five centuries of influence inform local art, music, and design.
The table tells the story, too. “We have a unique cuisine, mostly seafood-based,” he said. “There are many endemic species you can only find in the Sea of Cortés.” Despite the arid landscape, the valleys near the Sierra de la Laguna are fertile, making Los Cabos Mexico’s leading producer of organic vegetables.
Chefs from around the world have flocked here for three decades, building a scene that rivals the nation’s best. Since the Michelin Guide arrived in Mexico, 21 Los Cabos restaurants earned ratings—only seven are inside hotels. “The best is outside,” Esponda smiled. The absence of rigid culinary “rules” invites experimentation: local seafood, organic produce, and global technique.
Nature and Regeneration
Asked for a favorite place, Esponda didn’t hesitate: Cabo Pulmo National Park.
“It’s one of the most interesting examples of conservation and regeneration in the world,” he said. “The Sea of Cortés holds about 30% of the planet’s marine life. To dive or snorkel among reefs, rays, dolphins, and sharks—it’s unforgettable.” For Esponda, Cabo Pulmo is a living example of sustainable tourism, where community, conservation, and commerce coexist.
Positioned for the Future
Under Esponda’s stewardship, the Los Cabos Tourism Board has balanced private-sector innovation with transparent public funding—elevating value per visitor, not just volume. The result: a destination that couples five-star hotels and Michelin-recognized dining with world-class biodiversity, reliable safety, and planner-friendly infrastructure.
From desert trails and mountain backdrops to the deep-blue Sea of Cortés, Los Cabos offers programs that work on paper—and resonate in memory. As Esponda emphasized, the destination brings the infrastructure, hospitality, safety, and creativity—above all, a place that moves people to come, and to return.