Tourism sector poised to be key driver of Saudi economy: Minister

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb expects the Saudi tourism sector to become a key driver of the local economy, contributing about 10% of the gross domestic product and creating 1.6 million jobs by 2030.

The continued sector growth allowed upgrading the Kingdom’s tourism goals to nearly 150 million visitors by 2030. This includes more than 70 million international tourists, he added during his speech at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh.

The minister also confirmed plans to double the number of pilgrims and Umrah performers by the same year.

He indicated that the government has adopted several initiatives to facilitate entry to the Kingdom. The newly-introduced e-visa enables travelers from 66 countries to Saudi Arabia, representing 80% of the global tourism market.

The Kingdom is leading major efforts to improve local tourism and spur regional tourism through cooperation with the GCC countries. The unified visa allows potential travelers to enjoy staying about 30 days in the Gulf, Al-Khateeb stated.

He also pointed out that the Kingdom launched 28 flight routes linking Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam to new destinations across the continents in the past two years.

According to the minister, these routes not only provide new travel options, but also pave the way for improving bilateral relations, ease corporate access, streamline dialogue, and achieve cultural exchange.