RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — The Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP) and Informa are joining forces to create the partnership Tahaluf, which will help launch new exhibition brands in Saudi Arabia. The partnership will create large-scale events in 2023 and 2024 to serve key verticals in Saudi Arabia in the technology, AI, food, pharmaceuticals, health and beauty, real estate, tourism, hospitality and health care industries. This move demonstrates that the kingdom realizes the value of international events as economic ignitors within specific sectors.
This new partnership supports the kingdom’s Vision 2030 objective of diversifying its economy and creating high-value employment opportunities for Saudi citizens. It also replaces Informa’s existing operations in Saudi Arabia. It predicts that Tahaluf events will attract approximately 500,000 visitors annually by 2028.
“Major events can deliver significant economic stimulus by providing market access, driving inbound investment, and generating international trade. We are honored to have extended our partnership with SAFCSP to create Tahaluf, and together we aim to create world-class, sustainable events in Saudi Arabia that will be an international showcase for key sectors of the Saudi economy, as well as contribute to a thriving events industry in the kingdom. It is our mission to bring world-class events to the kingdom and to be a positive force in making Saudi Arabia a global hub for events,” Mike Champion, Regional Executive Vice President of Informa Markets, said.
It is said that Tahaluf will leverage Informa’s global expertise to create a world-class events sector in the kingdom, which will further advance economic diversification, provide access to new markets for international businesses, attract foreign investment, and support the modernization of business activity.
The Tahaluf Academy has also been established, which will provide an annual cohort of young Saudi professionals the opportunity to gain hands-on training and international events experience through a series of rotations across Informa’s global business.
This isn’t the first time SAFCSP and Informa have collaborated. For example, the two came together to create the award-winning tech event LEAP in Riyadh. The February 2022 conference had more than 100,000 attendees and more than 700 exhibiting global technology companies.
Tahaluf will license Informa’s market-leading brands to launch a host of new B2B events, digital experiences and services in 2023 and beyond. Launches will include the artificial intelligence event DeepFest, Feb. 6-9, 2023; the food and hospitality show, Feast, Oct. 24-26, 2023; the beauty industry festival Cosmoprof Middle East; international real estate show Cityscape Global, Sept. 10-13, 2023 and the Middle East edition of the leading pharma brand, CPHI Middle East, Jan. 15-17, 2024.
“Saudi Arabia has hosted an expanding portfolio of global events in recent years, and now, through Tahaluf, SAFCSP is investing to further elevate the Saudi events industry and related creative and digital sectors,” Faisal Al-Khamisi, Chairman of SAFCSP, said. “Informa has played a leading role in the events industry internationally, including pioneering digital, on-demand, and data-driven experiences and leading sustainability initiatives across the sector. This expertise has helped to launch successful events together in the past and will be invaluable in delivering the ambitious plans announced today. Tahaluf — the Arabic word for alliance — reflects the strength of the partnership between SAFCSP and Informa and our plans to work closely together in this next stage of developing world-class events for Saudi Arabia.”
Reach Faisal Al-Khamisi at info@safcsp.org.sa
