Saudi Arabia Sees Tourism Boom in 2024

Saudi Arabia Sees Tourism Boom in 2024; Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, announced that the first half of 2024 saw a remarkable influx of 60 million tourists, generating SR150 billion in revenue. Emphasizing the nation’s commitment to expanding its tourism sector, which currently accounts for 3% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, Al-Khateeb noted the sector’s significant global economic impact at 10%.

Saudi Arabia Sees Tourism Boom in 2024

In 2023, Saudi Arabia attracted around 109 million tourists, including 27 million international visitors, ranking 11th globally for tourist numbers. Highlighting a 153% tourism growth rate since 2019, Al-Khateeb positioned Saudi Arabia as one of the fastest-growing countries among the G20 nations.

At a press conference held at the historic Abu Sarrah palaces, Al-Khateeb detailed the plans for the Saudi Summer Season 2024. He described Saudi Arabia as a diverse “continent” with rich historical and tourist sites, now open to visitors beyond religious and business purposes.

Tourism contributed 5% to the local economy in the first half of 2024, with ambitions to increase this to 10%, equating to SR600-700 billion. Al-Khateeb praised Saudi Arabia’s human resources, highlighting the role of young Saudis in promoting local culture. He mentioned that 100,000 training courses have been provided, salaries increased to SR6,000, and 1,500 individuals have taken on leadership roles in the tourism sector. Collaboration with various entities is seen as crucial to the sector’s success.