Knowledge Economic City Partners for First-Ever Future Hospitality Summit in Madinah
The master developer behind Madinah Gate signs agreement at FHS Egypt to bring the Kingdom’s leading hospitality investment forum to its transit-oriented destination next year.
Knowledge Economic City (KEC) has partnered with The Bench, organizer of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS), to host FHS Saudi Arabia 2027 in Madinah. The agreement, signed in Cairo on November 11 during FHS Egypt, designates KEC as the host partner for the event’s first Madinah edition, to be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Madinah Gate.
The relocation marks the first time the summit—the Kingdom’s premier hospitality investment forum—will be held in Madinah. The 2026 edition in Riyadh hosted over 1,000 attendees from 32 countries, with investors representing US$4.8 trillion in assets under management. A JLL economic impact study of that event found delegates generated US$1.9 billion in business opportunities and deal volume.
The summit will take place at Madinah Gate, KEC’s first operational destination. Built around the city’s Haramain High-Speed Rail station, the transit-oriented development features the 325-room DoubleTree by Hilton, retail and dining spaces, and an integrated bus station. It provides direct high-speed rail links to Jeddah and Makkah.
“For KEC, hosting FHS is part of a wider effort to put Madinah on the global events map,” said Dr. Moath Al-Yahya, CEO of Knowledge Economic City. “It gives investors, hotel operators and developers the opportunity to see firsthand how Madinah is growing and where they can play a role. At Madinah Gate, delegates will experience an operating destination that brings hospitality, retail and public transport together at one of the city’s main gateways.”
KEC’s broader masterplan covers 6.8 million square metres and represents more than SAR 24 billion in committed investment. The portfolio includes Madinah Gate, Multaqa AlMadinah, the Islamic World District, and Al Alyaa. At full build-out, the company plans to deliver approximately 42,000 hotel keys and 40,000 residential units in collaboration with five major international hospitality brands.
Ali Shahid, CEO of The Bench, highlighted the strategic timing of the move. “Madinah is undergoing an extraordinary urban and hospitality transformation driven by landmark projects,” he said. “By bringing FHS here, we are positioning our network directly at the intersection of unprecedented capital deployment and immense growth. Investors are drawn to Madinah not just because of its unique cultural and spiritual significance, but because the Kingdom’s regulatory reforms have unlocked a highly lucrative market.”
KEC previously served as a Strategic Partner at FHS Saudi Arabia 2026 in Riyadh and FHS World 2026 in Dubai. The company used those events to engage international investors and finalize agreements across its portfolio. Hosting the 2027 edition in Madinah is intended to build on those relationships while showcasing the city’s ongoing hospitality expansion.
