Webook eyes Europe as it expands from tickets into flights, hotels, and visas

Webook.com wants to be a global booking platform, built on what it learned running Saudi Arabia’s biggest entertainment seasons. The Saudi-born company has moved beyond ticketing into flights, hotels, visas, dining and attractions, and is now expanding into Europe.

We spoke with co-founder and CEO Nadeem Bakhsh about the move beyond ticketing, how AI could change the way customers discover and book experiences, competition in the Kingdom’s digital ticketing market, and the ambition to build a “super app for fun” with Saudi Arabia at its core. (Editor’s note: This interview was conducted before the attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Bakhsh declined to disclose country-level revenue or transaction mix, or a market-share target.) Edited excerpts of our conversation:

EnterpriseAM: How has webook.com’s role in the Saudi market evolved since launch?

Nadeem Bakhsh: Our story began with digitizing a grassroots football community that was managed on paper. We built a community platform first, with ticketing following as users sought an easier way to discover and book experiences. Today it is a technology platform and digital infrastructure partner for live experiences, extending beyond ticketing into flights, hotels, visas, dining, attractions and community features. Through webook PRO and white-label solutions, partners can deliver these services under their own brands while keeping access to their sales and audience data.

E: How large is the Saudi market you’re targeting?

NB: Invest Saudi expects the Kingdom’s entertainment market to grow 18% annually and exceed SAR 23 bn by 2030, while Vision 2030 data show the sports market grew from SAR 8.7 bn in 2022 to SAR 13.8 bn in 2023. Those are separate measures, but both point to significant opportunity before accounting for adjacent tourism and travel services. For webook, the opportunity lies in providing the digital infrastructure behind this activity — discovery, payments, secure ticketing, venue access, resale and travel services.

E: What does your data show about consumer behavior around Saudi events?

NB: What has changed is the scale, variety and frequency of experiences available, which raises expectations for instant, reliable access. During Riyadh Season 2025/26, webook processed more than 3 mn tickets by late December, including more than 2.5 mn for family and cultural experiences and zones. Major entertainment seasons and sporting events amplify existing demand and bring more consumers onto the platform. The customer journey is also expanding beyond the ticket into secure resale, venue entry and travel planning.

E: How do you view growing competition in the Kingdom’s digital ticketing market?

NB: Competition raises standards for organizers and customers. We bring together high-demand virtual queues, identity-linked ticketing, AI-enabled controls against bots and fraud, controlled resale, venue access, fan engagement and integrated travel services, tested across major Saudi entertainment seasons, concerts, motorsport, football and esports. Individual features can be replicated, but building that end-to-end operating capability is harder.

E: Do you expect AI assistants to become a primary booking channel?

NB: AI can shorten the distance between customer intent and a bookable option. Users can describe an occasion, location, group or timing in natural language, and our AI Booking Assistant matches that against live inventory. The assistant is available on X, Instagram and WhatsApp, with TikTok planned. We expect AI assistants to become a primary discovery and booking channel for open-ended searches, though traditional search and browsing will remain important, and availability, pricing and terms will continue to be confirmed through the official booking flow.

E: Through the Saudi Package Visa service, are you turning event bookings into a gateway for inbound tourists?

NB: Yes, although an event is optional within the service. Eligible travelers from seven countries can combine a confirmed round-trip flight and qualifying hotel with their visa application in one digital journey, then add an event or experience if they choose. Visa issuance remains subject to government review and approval. We aim to make a live experience a potential starting point for a complete trip rather than treating the ticket as an isolated transaction.

E: What’s the international ambition?

NB: Our expansion now extends beyond Gulf and Arab markets into Europe, including the UK and Portugal. High-demand events quickly expose weaknesses in payments, access, identity, inventory and customer support, so our approach is to deliver, prove it, and earn the next, bigger one.

We’re also building what we call “Super App for Fun”: one place to discover what to do and complete the journey around it. The goal is not to add categories for their own sake, but to reduce friction between discovery, booking, travel, payment and access. The ticket remains the entry point to live entertainment and sport, while the services around it make the overall experience easier.