Cityscape Global has rapidly evolved into one of the most influential real estate platforms in the world, mirroring the scale and ambition of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation. At the centre of this growth is Tahaluf, the organiser behind the mega-event’s expansion in size, scope and economic impact. Speaking with Gulf Business at Cityscape Global 2025, Rachel Sturgess, senior vice president at Tahaluf, outlined the indicators of success shaping this year’s edition — from record-breaking deal value to new sector pavilions, networking formats and long-term industry initiatives.
The momentum was clear from day one. “What we did announce on the first day of the show — His Excellency, the Minister, announced — was that there would be 43 billion US dollars of deals announced on the main stage over the first two days of the show,” Sturgess said. “We’ve seen those announcements happen yesterday and today. And it shows a really strong indicator for the investment that’s happening in this sector, in the real estate sector in Saudi Arabia.”
More deal announcements are expected as the show concludes, supported by a dedicated hub where “partnerships, agreements [are] being signed throughout the full four days as well,” she added.
This year’s event also set new records for participation. “We’ve got over 550 exhibitors this year. We have 200 developers exhibiting — that’s a significant increase from last year,” said Sturgess. The floorplan reflects the diversification of the Kingdom’s real estate market, with expanded zones for banking, architecture, design, PropTech, sports, and stadium infrastructure.
Enhancing the visitor journey: Format innovation and sector-specific networking
Cityscape Global 2025 spans 166,000 square metres — “more than double the size of the event when we launched it in 2023,” Sturgess noted. That growth has been accompanied by deliberate improvements to the visitor experience.
“We really focus on the visitor journey,” she said. This includes enhanced wayfinding, a more intuitive event app, and new experiential elements across the venue.
A major highlight this year has been the expansion of specialised B2B and matchmaking formats. “We have lots of off-site networking — we launched Cityscape Nights this year,” Sturgess shared. “Last night there was an investor dinner, tonight there’s a different evening networking event taking place.”
On-site activity has also intensified. “Just over here as well, you can see the investor lounge where there’s, I think, 350 to 400 one-to-one investor meetings happening today. We have one-to-one developer meetings and specific developer networking,” she added. Elsewhere on the grounds, the Sports Integrity Awards brought together leaders across the region’s fast-growing sports infrastructure sector.
Because Cityscape now hosts exhibitors from traditional real estate, PropTech, sports, architecture, and finance, the focus is on curating connection points for each stakeholder group. “We want to ensure that we’re providing networking opportunities for the right people to be connecting during the event,” said Sturgess.
Building long-term legacy: Beyond deals to talent, innovation and sustainable growth
While Cityscape Global generates substantial deal flow, Sturgess emphasised that the event’s legacy extends beyond commercial announcements.
During the opening programme, the team presented a progress update on the commitments made during the 2023 edition — a new step reflecting the show’s maturing role as a development platform. “We talked about the progress of the announcements that we made in 2023 and an update from the partners on how those projects have progressed,” Sturgess said.
The event also plays a role in nurturing future talent and advancing new technologies. “We have a student competition where winners can have internships and programmes for their development,” she explained. A range of startup and scale-up competitions showcase innovation across PropTech and sustainability — with prize money but, more importantly, exposure to major Saudi investors and developers. “A lot of them are also looking for how they can take their company to the next level — the opportunity for them to pitch in front of judges from major companies in Saudi and how that progresses.”
This approach reinforces Cityscape’s purpose as not just a marketplace, but an enabler of ecosystems — from entrepreneurship to project delivery.
The next five years: Expanding sectors, new formats, and the evolution of Saudi cities
Sturgess highlighted that Cityscape Global will continue to grow as Saudi Arabia accelerates its national urban development agenda.
“Cityscape is such an exciting event because we’re growing so much each year. The market is growing in that respect as well,” she said.
One of the most notable additions this year was Estaad — a dedicated stadiums and sports infrastructure pavilion, launched at a time when Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in new venues and global sports assets. “That is particularly exciting with all the new stadium projects that are happening in Saudi and sports being really at the heart of community building,” she added.
Sturgess emphasised that Cityscape Global is no longer just a real estate event — it is a platform for the very shape of future cities. “We’re not only talking about pure real estate,” she said. “We’re talking about the evolution of cities in Saudi. Cities are being built from scratch, which is not happening really in many places around the world.”
With new city-scale developments, giga projects, and infrastructure clusters rapidly emerging across the Kingdom, Cityscape Global is positioned to play a defining role in connecting capital, talent, technology, and global partnerships.
