Saudi’s Tourise invites nominations...

Inaugural awards to celebrate places all over the world shaping the future of travel

A new awards programme has launched in Saudi Arabia to recognise the world’s best travel and tourism destinations, with nominations for five award categories now open.

The awards are an extension of Tourise, a recently launched platform powered by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism and supported by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) that aims to shape the future of tourism.

The awards, which will be announced at the inaugural invite-only Tourise Summit in Riyadh in November, will recognise destinations that celebrate culture, connection and innovation in travel, from inclusive tourism to cultural preservation, and deliver “meaningful, memorable and measurable value” across the traveller journey.

“As the industry undergoes a bold transformation, it’s more crucial than ever to spotlight the destinations that are leading with vision, purpose and resilience,” said Jean-Philippe Cossé, CEO of Tourise.

“The Tourise Awards are our tribute to those extraordinary places that don’t just welcome travellers, they inspire them, challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what tourism can achieve.”

For five weeks, from 2 June to 9 July, nominations will be open to individual travellers, industry professionals and organisations, who are invited to vote for destinations including cities, regions and sites that have a distinct identity and character and are backed by tourism governing bodies.

There are five award categories, including Best Arts and Culture Destination, Best Adventure Destination, Best Food and Culinary Destination, Best Shopping Destination and Best Entertainment Destination, plus a flagship award for Best Overall Destination.

Destinations will be evaluated across 10 assessment criteria, and winners will be chosen by an independent jury of global tourism experts that include Filip Boyen, Former CEO at Forbes Travel Guide, Michael Ellis, Former Global Director at Michelin Guides, Fiona Jeffery, Former Chair at World Travel Market and Bernold Schroeder, Former CEO at Kempinski.

The winners will be recognised at the invite-only Tourise Summit, taking place in Riyadh from 11–13 November 2025. The event will bring together leading voices from across tourism, travel, investment and innovation to "develop innovative solutions and build partnerships, enabling the tourism sector to be more resilient, connected and inclusive than ever before", said Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, who serves as Chairman of Tourise.

The summit, which will be live-streamed, will focus on four core themes, including the future of AI-powered tourism, disruptive business models and investment and rebooting the travel experience and tourism that works for people, planet and progress.

For more information, visit www.tourise.com

Tourise Awards 2025