Knowledge Economic City Connects with Leading Investors at the Future Hospitality Summit 2026 to Map Madinah’s Investment Opportunity

Knowledge Economic City (KEC), the publicly listed master developer leading Madinah’s urban transformation, participated as a Strategic Partner at Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia 2026, hosted at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah in Riyadh under the theme ‘Where Opportunity Meets Capital.’ Bringing together leading investors, developers, hospitality operators and policymakers, the Summit provided a platform for KEC to showcase investment opportunities across its growing portfolio of destinations and engage with local, regional and international stakeholders shaping the future of the Kingdom’s hospitality and real estate sectors.

KEC’s participation comes at a time of significant momentum for Saudi Arabia’s investment landscape, supported by ongoing economic reforms and the recent approval of executive regulations governing non-Saudi real estate ownership, further strengthening the Kingdom’s appeal to international investors.

KEC was represented on the Summit Stage by Marko Vucinic, Executive Director of Investment & Asset Management, who joined the panel ‘Building Through Uncertainty: How Developers Are Recalibrating Investment and Operations in a Time of Crisis.” Vucinic was invited to share KEC’s perspective on Madinah’s long-term investment fundamentals and the opportunities emerging from Saudi Arabia’s evolving real estate, tourism and hospitality sectors. He was joined by Abbas Al Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of Afyaa Real Estate; Omar Al-Abdullatif, Chief Executive Officer of Blacksand; and Rohit Dhawan, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal. The session was moderated by Abdulaziz Al Qarra, Director of Advisory and Business Development, Real Estate Investments, at Al Rajhi Capital.

Noting that demand is underpinned by faith-based visitation and long-term national development priorities. He explained that unlike many global markets, demand in Madinah remains resilient due to its unique spiritual significance and the Kingdom’s continued investment in tourism and infrastructure.

Setting supply and demand side by side, Vucinic noted that pilgrims arriving from outside the Kingdom have risen from 6.2 million in 2016 to more than 18 million in 2025, as the Kingdom targets 30 million by 2030 and pursues a national ambition of welcoming 150 million visitors. Independent forecasts, he added, point to a shortfall of more than 100,000 residential and hospitality units. This structural supply gap continues to create significant opportunities for institutional investors, developers and hospitality operators seeking exposure to one of Saudi Arabia’s fastest-growing real estate markets. To meet that structural gap, KEC’s masterplan is designed to scale to approximately 42,000 hotel keys and 40,000 residential units at full development. ‘We are not asking investors to imagine what Madinah could become,’ he said. ‘We are showing them what is already being delivered.’

Across its four flagship destinations — Madinah Gate, Multaqa AlMadinah, the Islamic World District and Al Alyaa — KEC has committed more than SAR 24 billion in investment, creating integrated hospitality, residential, retail and commercial destinations within the Haram boundary. The company has also secured partnerships with five of the World’s leading hospitality brands; Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Radisson and Hyatt reinforcing investor confidence in the long-term growth potential of Madinah.

KEC highlighted the significant progress being delivered across its destination portfolio, with major milestones achieved across hospitality, residential, infrastructure and retail developments. These projects are supporting Madinah’s transformation into a globally connected lifestyle and investment destination while contributing to the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

KEC also highlighted the Kingdom’s ongoing regulatory reforms, including the recent approval of executive regulations governing non-Saudi real estate ownership. As one of the designated geographic areas eligible under the framework, Madinah is expected to attract increased international investor interest and support long-term market growth.

During the Summit, KEC held strategic meetings with institutional investors, hospitality groups, investment funds and development partners to explore partnership opportunities across its growing portfolio of destinations. ‘International capital is no longer watching Saudi Arabia from a distance,’ Vucinic said. ‘It is here, actively evaluating opportunities, and the conversations we are having in Riyadh reflect growing institutional confidence in Madinah’s long-term investment potential.’

KEC’s participation as a strategic partner at Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia 2026 reinforces its role as a leading master developer supporting Madinah’s transformation under Vision 2030. Through its growing portfolio of destination and partnerships with globally recognised operators, KEC is creating places where residents, visitors and investors can live, stay, work and invest within one of the world’s most significant spiritual destinations.