The multi-city tourism showcase ‘Spectacular Saudi’
concluded this week after a high-energy run across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru,
Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, attracting more than 200,000 visitors. Organised by
the Saudi Tourism Authority’s consumer brand “Saudi, Welcome to Arabia,” the
showcase brought immersive cultural experiences, celebrity appearances and on-
ground travel engagement to some of India’s busiest malls.
The 2025 edition returned on a larger scale, offering visitors a multi-sensory
exploration of Saudi culture through art installations, Arabic calligraphy, Sadu
weaving, Ardah folk dance, coffee and date experiences, and an expanded culinary
zone. Leading travel partners — including Sheeraz Tours, Atlas Travels, Yatra,
Flipkart-Cleartrip, Akbar Holidays and MakeMyTrip — offered packages, deals and
destination information that boosted traveller interest.
The event opened with Kareena Kapoor Khan, followed by Ananya Panday,
Kartik Aaryan, Arjun Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh and Harshvardhan Rane,
adding star power and drawing large crowds across all venues. Hosted at Phoenix
Palladium (Mumbai), Select City Walk (New Delhi), Lulu Mall (Bengaluru), Nexus
Ahmedabad One and Sarath City Mall (Hyderabad), the showcase created a
continuous stream of footfall from families, travellers, influencers and trade partners.
Speaking about the five-city programme, Alhasan Aldabbagh, President – APAC
Markets, Saudi Tourism Authority, said the showcase had further strengthened
cultural ties with India. He noted that visitors engaged enthusiastically with Saudi’s
traditions, cuisine and art, and highlighted India as one of the Authority’s most
important global markets. Aldabbagh said Saudi now operates over 330 weekly
flights connecting the two countries, and expressed confidence that more Indian
travellers would choose Saudi in the coming years.
A major highlight this year was the preview of Qiddiya City, Saudi’s upcoming
entertainment destination set to open on December 31. Marketed as the world’s first
“Power of Play” city, it will host the world’s largest Six Flags theme park, Saudi’s
biggest water park and a range of next-generation entertainment attractions.
The showcase also featured on-site Tasheer kiosks, providing visitors with visa
support, documentation assistance and real-time travel planning guidance — enabling
many to begin their Saudi travel process directly at the event.
From Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, ‘Spectacular
Saudi’ offered Indian audiences a vivid glimpse into the Kingdom’s cultural warmth
and its rapidly expanding tourism vision, reaffirming Saudi’s strong push to attract
Indian travellers.
