Who’s Who: Feras Al-Heraish, director at Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority

Who’s Who: Feras Al-Heraish, director at Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority

DUBAI: Not even a decade ago, a trip to experience Saudi Arabia’s historic sites and culture would have been unthinkable for most. Over the past few years, thanks largely to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, the Kingdom has opened to tourists, amid a multitude of other transformations on the business and social fronts.

There has been a dramatic shift in tourism numbers for the Gulf nation since it launched its e-visa program in 2019. Since then, Saudi Arabia registered 94 million visits in 2022, a 93 percent increase compared to 2021, resulting in a tourism spend of SR185 billion ($49 billion).

This rapid tourism growth is due to expanding visa initiatives, which now include 57 nations and two special administrative regions, compared to the initial 49 countries at the program’s launch.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Kingdom’s expanding visa initiatives now include 57 nations and two special administrative regions.

New countries in the e-visa pool include Albania, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Africa, and Uzbekistan.

Travel and tourism counts for 4.5 percent of Saudi Arabia’s GDP, marking an increase from three percent in 2019.

Abdullah Al-Dakhil, a spokesperson at the Saudi Tourism Authority, told Arab News: “Saudi Arabia’s ongoing visa announcements since 2019 have been a significant step