Saudi Arabia’s drive to sustainable tourism ‘unwavering’, says minister

Saudi Arabia has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to make its rapidly expanding tourism sector sustainable and a powerful force for forging closer cultural links between the world’s nations at the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Brazil today.

Addressing G20 delegates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, said: “Saudi Arabia shares and celebrates the G20’s dedication to boost tourism growth and to put sustainability at the heart of our work.”

Reflecting on the meeting’s overarching theme of “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet”, Al-Khateeb added: “There is more than just an economic benefit from the strides we are making to improve connectivity. They also provide the chance for people from around the world to explore the rich culture of Saudi Arabia and for our people to experience the wonders of other countries and cultures.”

The high-profile gathering in Belém is bringing together not only the G20 nations, of which Saudi Arabia is the only permanent member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as 32 additional guest countries and international organizations. Saudi Arabia approved the creation of the G20 Tourism Working Group during its presidency in 2020 and among the Ministers’ key objectives at this meeting in Belém finalizing a report by the Working Group that details measures taken by its members to promote robust, sustainable, and balanced global tourism growth.

During the event in Belém, he met with ministers and senior political figures from Brazil, India, Italy, Spain and Japan, as well as with Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UN Tourism and Julia Simpson, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

In addition to meeting with global leaders, he also joined a WTTC Public-Private Dialogue to coincide with the launch of a jointly branded report analyzing the impacts of COVID-19 on the Travel and Tourism sectors including employment trends with a focus on youth, women, and high-wage jobs.

As part of its Vision 2030 strategy, Saudi Arabia has a strong focus on eco-friendly tourism developments, including pioneering projects in Diriyah and NEOM. It has also established the Sustainable Tourism Global Center (STGC), an international body to champion and track efforts by the tourism industry to lead the transition to a more sustainable future.

Having already surpassed the original target of welcoming 100 million visitors by 2030, the Kingdom is now aiming for 150 million, supported by extra flight routes, investment in new and enlarged airports and an eVisa scheme providing quicker and easier access to the country.

Saudi Arabia’s efforts to drive sector growth has led to it becoming the fastest growing tourism destination in the G20 with visitor numbers up by 121% compared with pre-pandemic levels. The sector last year employed 925,000 people, 45% of whom were women.

Founded in 2000, MT is dedicated to championing long-term growth in the Kingdom’s tourism industry. Its primary ambition is to realize the Kingdom’s vision for tourism by creating opportunities and platforms that enrich the tourism experience and promote the development of national human capital. By closely collaborating with government entities, industry stakeholders, and both public and private sectors, MT strives to drive sustainable tourism growth, enabled by forward-thinking policies, targeted investments, and talent development initiatives. MT strategy is deeply rooted in Arabian authenticity, powered by data and integrated delivery systems. At its heart, MT mission is to open Saudi Arabia’s doors to the world, making it a hub where unforgettable tourism stories come to life daily.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia tops the list of G20 countries in the indicators of the growth rate of the number of international tourists and the growth rate of international tourism revenues according to the latest data for the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2019.

The Kingdom achieved an increase of 73% in the number of international tourist growth, while international tourism revenues recorded an increase of 207%, according to the latest UN Tourism Barometer report issued this week at the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Belem, Brazil.

Several tourist destinations in the Kingdom witnessed a significant increase in the number of international tourists this year, with 17.5 million tourists during the first seven months of 2024.

The Kingdom achieved a growth of 56% in the number of international tourists during 2023 compared to 2019, with 27.4 million tourists, and travel receipts recorded a historical surplus of 48 billion SAR during 2023, an annual increase of 38%.

In its September report after the conclusion of the “Article IV Consultation 2024”, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) praised the unprecedented achievements made by the Kingdom’s tourism sector under Saudi Vision 2030. Diversifying the economic sectors, in which travel and tourism emerged as the most important - recording the highest level in the number of visitors, spending, job creation and contribution to GDP.

These achievements reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a leading global destination, and the continuous growth in the number of inbound tourists reflects in the Kingdom’s attractive options and diversity for visitors.