In full alignment with the strategic objectives set forth by Vision 2030, Informa’s expertise is poised for remarkable expansion with Tahaluf’s recent partnership with Saudi Arabia’s EIF, which was officially announced on 12 June 2023.
Tahaluf, an Arabic word for alliance, emerged as a collaborative endeavour between SAFCSP (Saudi Arabian Federation for Cyber Security, Programming and Drones) and Informa, the global leader in live and on-demand business and consumer events. This partnership aims to cultivate national and professional competencies across cybersecurity and programming, fostering the development of essential skills and expertise in these fields.
Tahaluf has a clear and simple mission, reveals Mike Champion, CEO of Tahaluf by Informa. “To bring world class events to Saudi Arabia, and to help contribute to the Kingdom becoming a global events hub.”
A powerful alliance
Harnessing Tahaluf’s extensive expertise, both stakeholders bring a wealth of experience and vision to the table. EIF, a government-sponsored fund with a substantial multibillion-dollar backing, is led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. This organisation is driven by a resolute ambition to foster a robust and sustainable infrastructure for the tourism, entertainment, culture, and sports sectors throughout KSA.
As part of its ambitious endeavours, EIF intends to construct 35 exceptional venues, supported by a substantial $3.7 billion fund. Notably, Tahaluf will serve as an anchor tenant at the flagship exhibition centre, solidifying its prominent presence and pivotal role within the project. Drawing on a rich legacy of accomplishments in diverse recreational industries such as culture, sports, hospitality, entertainment, and exhibitions, Tahaluf’s expertise in the events sector amplifies the collective impact and capabilities within the industry.
Events serve as a vital catalyst for inbound investment, international trade, and market access, making a significant contribution to KSA’s economic growth and prosperity. “In three years Tahaluf, with its Government Partners, has created the most attended Tech event in the world, LEAP, and the most attended cybersecurity event in the WORLD, Black Hat MEA. Soon more world class events with record breaking stats will emerge across real estate, beauty, tourism, pharma, health, fintech, AI, and many more sectors,” says Champion.
Further elaborating, Group CEO of Informa Stephen Carter explains, “We are proud that Informa’s expertise is part of delivering world class, sustainable events, and digital experiences in Saudi Arabia. The incredible success of events such as LEAP have demonstrated the power of the Tahaluf collaboration, and this increased investment will accelerate its impact across sectors.”
Tahaluf is building the events sector
According to Champion, the potential within KSA and how Tahaluf is going to transform the region is a game-changer. He explains, “Saudi Arabia is the growth engine for the international events trade. There simply is no market as fast growing. I’ve not seen before any other market that can accelerate an event’s size and importance by 20 or more years as consistently as the Saudis can; they have the perfect mix of vision, ambition, resources, and motivation.”
KSA’s visionary approach to cultivating the events industry opens abundant opportunities for the young, talented, and technologically adept workforce. By doing so, it not only creates a dynamic environment for their professional growth, but also fuels expansion and innovation within the broader creative and digital economies.
In fact, the growth trajectory of Tahaluf in the events industry is set to surpass expectations, reveals Champion. With a focus on recruiting top events talent from the region, Tahaluf consistently delivers record-breaking events, including Black Hat MEA and LEAP. “With EIF, SAFCSP, and Informa as shareholders, the company is strategically positioned to deliver outstanding quality events, that help to transform and develop the Kingdom’s MICE sector.”
Tahaluf-run events are expected to attract around 500,000 visitors each year by 2028. Building on existing efforts, knowledge transfer is a priority in KSA, aligned with the Nationalisation Programme and Vision 2030. The Tahaluf Academy, a joint venture between Informa and SAFCP, further strengthens this endeavour.
Through hands-on training and international events experience, the academy will facilitate knowledge transfer for young Saudi professionals, fostering the country’s development.
Tourism is helping to reposition and reshape Saudi Arabia as it diversifies its economy away from a reliance on oil and Tahaluf is pivotal in steering international tourism into KSA. Set in motion by Vision 2030, KSA has undergone major transformation across both the events and tourism industries, steered by the fact that KSA has the highest population in the Middle East; includes higher consumer purchasing power; all in addition to upcoming giga projects.
According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) index, during Q1 2023, the Kingdom received about 7.8 million international tourists for all purposes, an increase of 64 percent compared to Q1 2019. The country also reached second on the list of the fastest-growing tourism destinations during this period, according to the latest data from WTO.
Plans in the pipeline
By leveraging Informa’s global expertise, Tahaluf will launch new B2B live events, digital experiences and services focused on strategically important sectors while the joint venture backs Vision 2030’s objective of diversifying its economy and creating high value employment opportunities for Saudi citizens.
Tahaluf will bring iconic Informa brands to KSA including Cosmoprof, CPHI and Cityscape. In just two years, Tahaluf, SAFCSP and Informa alongside the Ministry of Communications and IT, have transformed LEAP into the world’s most attended tech event with 172,000 attendances.
To learn more about Tahaluf, its brands and to discover career opportunities, click here.
Follow us on
Brand View allows our business partners to share content with Arabian Business readers.
The content is supplied by Arabian Business Brand View Partners.
