Knowledge Economic City signs hosting agreement with The Bench as the summit moves to a 325-room hotel near the Haramain High-Speed Railway station, amid major hospitality development plans.
Madinah – Saudi Arabia – Al-Rehla
Madinah will host the Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia (FHS Saudi Arabia) for the first time on April 13–14, 2027, following a partnership agreement between Knowledge Economic City (KEC) and The Bench, the summit's organizer. The agreement will bring one of Saudi Arabia's leading hospitality investment gatherings from Riyadh to Madinah.
The agreement was signed in Cairo during FHS Egypt, held on November 10–11, 2026, by Saleh Al-Dakhil, Brand and Creative Marketing Director at Knowledge Economic City, and Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench.
A Hotel Next to the Haramain Railway Station
The summit will take place at the 325-room DoubleTree by Hilton hotel within Madinah Gate, the first operational destination developed by Knowledge Economic City.
The hotel forms part of a transit-oriented development featuring hospitality facilities, retail outlets, restaurants and an integrated bus station, located next to the Haramain High-Speed Railway station connecting Madinah with Makkah and Jeddah.
The venue will allow delegates to explore a development model integrating hospitality investment with public transport infrastructure, extending the summit experience beyond conference halls and investment presentations.
More Than 1,000 Participants at the Riyadh Edition
The 2026 edition in Riyadh attracted more than 1,000 participants from 32 countries, including investors representing institutions with combined assets under management of approximately $4.8 trillion.
According to an economic impact study conducted by JLL, participants reported generating $1.9 billion in business opportunities and deals during the summit.
However, this figure includes reported commercial opportunities and transactions and should not be interpreted as entirely completed investments.
Hospitality Developments Under a SAR 24 Billion Master Plan
The summit comes as Knowledge Economic City advances a 6.8-million-square-metre master plan comprising four major destinations: Madinah Gate, Madinah Hub, the Islamic World District and Al-Alya.
According to the company, the master plan represents more than SAR 24 billion in announced investment commitments, with long-term plans targeting approximately 42,000 hotel rooms and 40,000 residential units upon completion of all development phases. These figures represent future development targets rather than existing hotel accommodation.
Dr. Moath Al-Yahya, CEO of Knowledge Economic City, said hosting the summit would provide investors, hotel operators and developers with an opportunity to explore ongoing developments and potential investment opportunities firsthand.
Al-Rehla Insight | Bringing Hospitality Investment Closer to the Destination
The Madinah edition carries particular significance as it brings hospitality investment discussions directly to a destination whose hotel sector plays a central role in serving pilgrims, Umrah visitors and other travellers.
Hosting the event near the Haramain High-Speed Railway station also provides an opportunity to examine the relationship between transport connectivity, hotel development and commercial services—key components of successful religious tourism destinations.
Nevertheless, the summit's actual economic impact will depend on the agreements, investments and commercially viable projects that emerge from the event, rather than the scale of announced development plans or the assets managed by participating institutions alone.
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