Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, highlighted the fact that Saudi Arabia has surpassed its past tourism objectives, with the number of visitors increasing by a massive 116 million people at the present moment compared to 80 million in 2019. This number is more than the initial goal of 100 million visitors.
He stated that while attending a panel discussion at the Fortune Global Forum 2025, which started on Sunday, “The target for 2030 has been raised to 150 million visitors, including 50 million international visitors, placing Saudi Arabia among the top 10 most visited countries in the world.”
Al-Khateeb mentioned that one of the pillars of the Vision 2030 is the tourism sector, and the government is working to develop the industry and introduce new investment opportunities to boost economic growth and offer employment opportunities to young and female citizens.
He added that “The number of tourists arriving for leisure, cultural, and sports purposes is increasing, reflecting the sector’s diversity and the Kingdom’s openness to all forms of tourism.”
The minister emphasized that Saudi Arabia is developing its tourism infrastructure, such as airports, hotels, and entertainment facilities, to host major global events such as the 2034 World Cup, and this would be followed by other events like the UN World Tourism Forum in Riyadh and the opening of the biggest travel and tourism forum.
He stressed that the mission is to ensure that by 2030, tourism contributes 10 percent to the GDP, generating about 1.6 million jobs.
Al-Khateeb indicated that Saudi Arabia is trending on visitor experience and innovation in the tourism service provision, maintaining the environment included through the creation of the first global center of tourism, environment, and sustainability, and has a high-level trustee committee to maintain the protection of natural destinations.
He also stressed the cultivation of the abilities of young people and national cadres, as over 600,000 young Saudis have been trained since the plan was implemented to make sure that tourism services are provided in the best international standards.
The minister indicated that Saudi Arabia aims to export Saudi tourism projects outside of the country via projects like Cruise Saudi and the Red Sea International in order to share expertise and to cultivate skills and destination management.
Emphasizing the diversity of the tourism and entertainment content, Al-Khateeb stressed that it is the task of the General Entertainment Authority to offer the population a diversity of events, irrespective of their tastes, such as culture, sports, and art, without violating security and safety.
He pointed out that the Kingdom is a secure and friendly nation to visit, and tourism helps in increasing the perception of culture and hospitality.
