Saudi Arabia aspires to attract 150mln visitors by 2030: minister

Saudi Arabia aspires to attract 150mln visitors by 2030: minister

GENEVA — Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said that Saudi Arabia aspires to attract 150 million visitors by 2030 and that tourism sector will contribute SR750 billion to the national economy.

The minister made the remarks while addressing the Real Estate Future Forum in Riyadh on Monday. “We have the vision and plans to provide infrastructure and services and everything that tourists are looking for. Saudi Arabia will become one of the most important countries in the world in the tourism and travel sector after the completion of infrastructure projects,” he said while noting that Saudi Arabia is keen on ensuring involvement of the Saudi human element in the tourism sector, and there is a huge demand by the sons and daughters of the country to work in this sector.

Al-Khateeb congratulated Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for the recovery achieved by Saudi Arabia in the number of tourist arrivals during the year 2023 by 156 percent, compared to the year 2019, exceeding the global rate of recovery from the effects of the pandemic by 88 percent.

The minister noted that the successes achieved in the tourism sector confirm that the