Business · 08 September, 2026 · 3 min read
KBLT Congress 2026 Opens in Riyadh With More Than 100 Saudi Buyers and International Travel Brands
The fifth KBLT Congress opens at Mövenpick Riyadh on Sept 6–7, 2026 with 100+ Saudi buyers. Saudi outbound tourism spending is projected to exceed $30.7 billion in 2026.
Whether the story is Emirates' seat or Saudi/Courchevel travel.
4 of 5 outlets skipped it: emirates launches an electrically powered Premium Economy privacy screen seat.
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Travel Market Report
“Emirates has launched what it is calling the world’s first electrically powered Premium Economy seat, featuring a full-height adjustable privacy screen.”Read the original ↗
Breaking Travel News
“KBLT’s Advisory Board sees an even bigger shift: Saudi luxury travellers are raising the bar on what they expect”Read the original ↗
Travel Market Report focuses on Emirates' new seat, while the other outlets cover Saudi luxury travel and Courchevel roadshows, omitting the seat story.
KBLT Riyadh Dates
The fifth annual Kingdom Business & Luxury Travel (KBLT) Congress opens at the Mövenpick Hotel and Residences Riyadh on September 6–7, 2026, bringing together more than 100 pre-qualified Saudi buyers with leading international travel brands. Saudi outbound tourism spending is projected to exceed $30.7 billion (SAR 115 billion) in 2026, driven by an estimated 12.3 million international outbound trips, while the Kingdom’s luxury travel segment is valued at approximately $13.5 billion this year and forecast to surpass $25 billion by 2033. KBLT’s Advisory Board frames the shift as a change in what Saudi luxury travellers expect, saying the market is moving beyond conventional five-star offerings toward highly personalised, authentic and experience-led travel.
Sulaiman Al-Romi, Chairman of the KBLT Congress Advisory Board and Chairman & CEO of Gulf Reps, Saudi Premier Travel & Tourism Group, said: "KBLT has evolved from a gathering into a truly international congress with unprecedented global demand and high attendance interest." The congress is positioned as a two-day setting in Riyadh where understanding of Saudi outbound preferences is meant to turn into direct commercial relationships and partnerships.
Luxury Shifts to Story
KBLT’s speakers describe a transition from conventional luxury to curated, purpose-driven experiences, with Waleed Bin Huzaim, Strategic Communication & International Protocol Consultant to the Government Sector in KSA, saying: "Today, the story is different." In the same framing, Waleed Bin Huzaim said Saudi tourism communication has shifted from presenting ambition to inviting visitors to experience what has become real, adding: "Many of those ambitions have become real experiences that visitors can see and enjoy for themselves". Daniel Ponzo, Managing Director of Zahid Travel Group, KSA, argued that Saudi travellers increasingly choose destinations based on the experience narrative rather than hotel brand, saying: "Saudi travellers are increasingly choosing destinations based on the experience narrative".
Ponzo also said many destinations still sell rooms and itineraries rather than curated experiences, warning that they underestimate how much Saudi travellers value discretion, flexible schedule and genuinely bespoke service. The congress thesis is summarized in Ponzo’s line that Saudi luxury travellers have moved from wanting the best hotel to wanting the best story, with the event described as focused on making sure destinations and brands are ready to meet that demand.
Courchevel and Emirates Moves
Outside KBLT, Courchevel Tourisme said it will host a three-city roadshow in New Delhi on September 8, Kolkata on September 9 and Mumbai on September 11, 2026, as the French Alps destination marks its 80th anniversary. Courchevel Tourisme’s roadshow, organised with One Rep Global, is set to target India’s luxury travel trade and showcase skiing, gastronomy, hospitality, wellness and family experiences ahead of its 2026-27 winter season. Courchevel said it currently has 43 hotels, including five Palaces, and seven Michelin-starred restaurants collectively holding 11 stars, while industry estimates cited by Courchevel Tourisme put the number of Indians travelling overseas specifically for ski tourism at around 30,000 in the most recent season.
In airline business news, Emirates launched what it is calling the world’s first electrically powered Premium Economy seat with a full-height adjustable privacy screen, debuting on newly received Airbus A350 aircraft. Emirates said the new seat is installed in the Emirates A350 Premium Economy cabin in a 2-3-2 configuration with 28 seats, and that the electric privacy divider extends to the full height of the seat, described as the first feature of its kind in Premium Economy cabins worldwide.