Saudi Arabia wants tourism to contribute 10 per cent of the country’s economy by 2030, according to Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb.
He said tourism currently contributes 5 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s economy, up from 3 per cent in 2019.
Globally, tourism accounts for 10 per cent of the world economy.
Saudi tourism
Speaking during the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, the minister highlighted the role of Saudi Vision 2030 in attracting 100m tourists.
He also pointed out the streamlined visa procedures, which allow citizens of 65 countries to obtain a tourist visa to Saudi Arabia in as little as two to five minutes.
Al Khateeb stated that Saudi Arabia is now among the world’s top 10 most visited countries, with the number of international visitors growing from around five million in 2019 to more than 30m.
The goal is to reach 50m international tourists by 2030, positioning Saudi Arabia among the top five most visited countries globally.
Al Khateeb said: “We are very excited to build this new sector. Under the directives of HRH the Crown Prince, we are exploring the Kingdom’s untapped opportunities and hidden treasures. We are accelerating our progress toward achieving the 2030 goals, and tourism will become as vital to our economy as oil.”
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