While careers in energy or petrochemicals used to rank high among youths in Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, tourism and hospitality careers are now high on the list.
This shift in career preferences is being driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 which aims to diversify the economy away from oil and gas and encourages growth in sectors like tourism and IT.
The kingdom’s focus on tourism has led its youth to envision careers in the sector as more rewarding than those in the oil and gas industry, according to the Future Faces of Tourism research project, conducted by global research and analytics company PSB Insights.
When asked about how interested they would be in pursuing a career in a range of sectors, tourism, hospitality, technology and healthcare ranked top in the careers that appeal most to young Saudis.
Conversely, sectors more traditional to Saudi Arabia, such as petrochemicals, oil and gas and manufacturing, ranked lower.
91 percent of the young Saudis surveyed were interested in pursuing a career in tourism or IT (90 percent), compared to 77 percent who were interested in a career in petrochemicals.
Saudi youth also believe careers in hospitality and tourism would be lucrative going forward.
85 percent of Saudi youth agree believe there are good opportunities for them in tourism and hospitality while 57 percent feel that the tourism and hospitality industries will provide them with the salaries and resources they expect from life.
According to the survey, young Saudis and their parents believe tourism will play a major role in the country’s diversified economy with 69 percent believing the sector will become more important for the Saudi economy over the next 10 years.
Saudi youth were also optimistic that hospitality and tourism will be key drivers of employment for Saudi nationals, with 69 percent of those surveyed agreeing a statement to that effect.
This is validated by some of the biggest tourism projects planned for Saudi Arabia.
“The Red Sea Development Company is at the heart of this emerging industry and once completed our destination will support 70,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs providing opportunities to people throughout the country,” said John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company which commissioned the survey.
“Our people are at the heart of our business and will be essential to the development of our ambitious destination, therefore it is encouraging to see so many young Saudis acknowledging the benefits that a career in this dynamic sector has to offer them,” he added.
John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company
The Red Sea Project will welcome its first guests by the end of 2022. The first phase of the development will include 14 luxury hotels offering 3,000 rooms across five islands and two inland locations. It will also include entertainment facilities, an airport, and the necessary supporting logistics and utilities infrastructure.
Work is already underway at the destination with the development of key supporting infrastructure and accommodation for the workforce and company employees deployed to manage construction.
Upon completion in 2030, the destination will deliver up to 8,000 hotel rooms across 22 islands and six inland sites.
The first phase of the Red Sea Project will include 14 luxury hotels offering 3,000 rooms across five islands and two inland locations
In September, Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia Minister of Tourism wrote on the occasion of the kingdom’s National Day, that a vibrant tourism sector “has an important role to play in the long-term prosperity for our country”.
“It will drive jobs and entrepreneurship, attract investment and, above all, it will enrich our society, foster meaningful cultural exchange and enhance Saudi Arabia’s place on the world stage,” he added.
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