Saudi Arabia's tourism sector achieves record growth, 60M visits in 2024
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Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb highlighted the remarkable achievements and progress in Saudi Arabia's tourism sector during a press conference held by the Saudi Center for International Communication in Abha City, Asir region.
The sector, strengthened by the support of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, witnessed a record-breaking influx of 60 million tourists and SR143 billion in expenditure in the first half of 2024, according to preliminary data.
"Vision 2030 focuses on enhancing the tourism sector as a key driver for economic and social development," Al-Khateeb stated.
He noted that the National Tourism Strategy, launched in September 2019, aims to promote the exploration of Saudi Arabia's diverse regions, including its coastlines, mountains, plains, cultural heritage and rich history. Introducing the tourist visa has enabled visitors to discover the Kingdom's treasures, customs and traditions.
The minister emphasized the ambitious goals of the National Tourism Strategy, which aims to attract over 150 million tourists by 2030. Significant progress was made last year, with Saudi Arabia welcoming 109 million local and international tourists. This growth is expected to contribute to a 10% share of tourism in the total GDP by 2030 and increase employment from around 650,000 jobs in 2019 to 1.6 million jobs by 2030.
Al-Khateeb also highlighted the vital role of the Tourism Development Fund in financing tourism projects. The fund has contributed SR7.4 billion to support over 100 projects across different regions, with a total value exceeding SR35 billion.
The ministry's annual statistical report, documenting the achievements and targets of the tourism sector in 2023, was also announced. The report revealed that the total number of domestic and international tourists reached 109 million in 2023, showing a 16% growth compared to 2022. Among these, over 27 million were foreign tourists.
Preliminary figures for the first half of 2024 indicate that 60 million domestic and international tourists visited during that period, spending over SR143 billion. Tourism directly contributed 5% to the GDP during the same period.
Regarding electronic visas, Al-Khateeb mentioned that the Kingdom implemented electronic visas for selected countries in 2019. Due to high demand, the number of eligible countries has now reached 66, making Saudi Arabia one of the fastest countries to obtain a visa.
