Saudi Arabia has reached a monumental tourism milestone, welcoming more than 100 million tourists in 2023, seven years ahead of Vision 2030 expectations. This extraordinary achievement, recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, underlines Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading force in the global tourism landscape.
The Kingdom received 27.4 million international tourists last year, the Saudi Ministry of Tourism said. This represents a significant increase of 65% compared to 2022. In addition, it also received 79.3 million domestic tourists, an increase of 2% compared to 2022.
Economic diversification
Domestic and international tourists combined spent more than 250 billion rand ($67 billion), more than 4 percent of Saudi Arabia’s total gross domestic product (GDP) and 7 percent of its non-oil GDP.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism growth is due to strategic initiatives and reforms that have propelled the tourism sector to new heights. Demand for tourism activity licenses in 2023 soared by 390%. Furthermore, the contribution of tourism to non-oil gross value added (GVA) exceeded 7%.
The United Nations Tourism Organization and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) congratulated Saudi Arabia on achieving the following goals: #SaudiVision2030 The country has set a goal of welcoming more than 100 million tourists by 2023, seven years ahead of schedule. This achievement is the result of dedicated… pic.twitter.com/f560N8r2q1
— Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (@Saudi_MT) February 27, 2024
strategic initiatives
The United Nations Tourism Organization’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia has helped establish Saudi Arabia as a world leader in sustainable tourism practices and statistical excellence. Furthermore, the opening of the United Nations Tourism Organization’s Middle East Regional Office in Riyadh in 2021 was an important step towards promoting tourism innovation, education and rural development.
Saudi Arabia ranked first among the G20 countries in terms of international tourist growth rate in 2023. It also spearheaded the Middle East’s post-pandemic tourism recovery. Additionally, the Middle East has emerged as the only region that has not only recovered, but surpassed pre-pandemic tourism levels. The recovery rate of international tourist arrivals in 2023 was 122 percent compared to 2019. Saudi Arabia in particular witnessed a remarkable recovery of 156 per cent in international tourist arrivals compared to 2019, highlighting its key role in the region’s tourism boom.
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Resilience and innovation
Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience, with inbound spending exceeding $37 billion in 2023 and hotel infrastructure also experiencing significant growth. These achievements reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to building a prosperous and sustainable tourism sector through innovation and adaptation.
In particular, employment opportunities in the tourism sector play a vital role in Saudi Arabia’s success, with plans to make tourism the second largest employer by 2030. More than 925,500 jobs have been created and investments in workforce development have ensured that the Kingdom receives a fair share of the benefits of tourism.
Saudi Arabia aims to welcome 150 million tourists by 2030, and the United Nations Tourism Office reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Saudi travel. Collaboration, innovation and a clear vision for the future continue to drive the success of Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, promising a brighter future for global tourism.
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