Riyadh airport attacks disrupt World Petroleum Congress
The 25th World Petroleum Council Energy Congress in Riyadh has faced disruptions following Houthi attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport.
The five-day global energy gathering opened on Sunday, bringing together industry executives and government officials from around the world at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, about 10 kilometers from the airport.
Continued strikes on the airport and widespread disruptions to international flights forced many participants to change their travel plans. Senior executives from ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Shell and BP canceled plans to attend in person. Many participants at the congress also avoided publicly commenting on the attacks on Riyadh, describing the issue as sensitive.
The heightened tensions have also affected Saudi Arabia's tourism sector. Diriyah, one of Riyadh's best-known tourist landmarks, has seen a noticeable decline in visitor numbers, particularly among international tourists.
Expanding international tourism has been one of Saudi Arabia's major economic priorities in recent years, but repeated attacks and flight disruptions are creating additional pressure on tourism and commercial activity.
According to CCTV+, the impact of the attacks has extended beyond the energy congress, affecting tourism, international travel and other business activity in Saudi Arabia.
