Minister Al-Khateeb: Saudi Arabia targets inflow of 25 million foreign tourists in 2023 – Saudi Gazette

Minister Al-Khateeb: Saudi Arabia targets inflow of 25 million foreign tourists in 2023 – Saudi Gazette

Saudi Gazette Report

RIYADH — Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said that Saudi Arabia targets the inflow of 25 million foreign tourists during the year 2023 and that it is seeking to provide one million jobs in the vital tourism sector.

The minister said this while addressing the monthly virtual meeting with citizens from all over the Kingdom. Several senior officials of the ministry also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the minister reviewed the most remarkable achievements made by the tourism sector in the Kingdom during the year 2022. “The total tourism expenditure amounted to SR185 billion in 2022 and this figure marks an increase of 93 percent over the previous year. The Kingdom exceeded the figures during the year 2019 so as to become the highest country in posting a record number of tourists from among the G20 countries,” he said.

Al-Khateeb said Saudi Arabia is expected to rank 17th globally in attracting tourists, which reached 16.5 million tourist arrivals, an increase of 94 percent during the pre-pandemic period. “The direct contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP amounted to 3.2 percent of the total target of 10 percent by 2030. Last year recorded an increase in the number of tourism