Saudi Tourism Authority

Challenge: The objective was to capitalise on regional visitor flows during the FIFA World Cup to drive incremental visitation to Saudi Arabia, despite visa limitations, constrained product availability, and underdeveloped sports trade relationships.

Role: I led the global trade distribution strategy, coordinating operations between Riyadh and London. My role involved partnering with DMCs to design and launch dedicated, event-specific products and providing strategic support for the implementation of a new national visa category. I also oversaw global trade marketing initiatives, performance tracking, and comprehensive post-event analysis to ensure strategic alignment and delivery.

Outcome: The project successfully delivered a suite of trade-ready products and contributed to a transformative shift in national visa policy, enabling the destination to meet its visitation targets. Beyond the immediate results, the initiative established a credible platform for future major sports events by securing long-term relationships with key global operators and providing a blueprint for large-scale, event-led tourism distribution.