Tag Archives: Ministry of Tourism

Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia shared that travel account estimates about SAR 92.6 billion inbound visitors spending in the first half of 2024 based on balance of payments. Saudi Arabia achieved an 8.2% growth in inbound visitor spending in the travel account during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, reaching around SAR 92.6 billion, the Kingdom has also recorded a surplus in the travel account of around SAR 41.6 billion. The growth in spending by inbound visitors to Saudi Arabia reflects the significant progress made by the tourism sector, as Saudi Arabia led G20 countries in international tourist arrivals and in international tourism receipts growth rate in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019, according to UN Tourism. In addition, the data highlights the success of the Tourism Ecosystem in elevating the sector to global leadership. This achievement is attributed to adopting best practices in tourism development, enhancing tourism-related services and products, and collaborating with government entities to promote the growth of the Kingdom’s tourism sector. This achievement underlines the efforts made by the Tourism Ecosystem in elevating the tourism sector to global leadership and increasing its contribution to the Kingdom’s economic growth.

The Ministry of Tourism reported that Inbound tourists spent over SAR 141 billion in the Kingdom in 2023. According to the Ministry’s annual tourism statistics report for 2023, the largest portion of spending was on accommodation, surpassing SAR 45 billion. The report also highlighted that shopping spend exceeded SAR 25.5 billion, with Local Transport amounting to approximately SAR 21.5 billion. Food and beverage spending approached SAR 19.4 billion, while other expenses surpassed SAR 25.5 billion. Additionally, entertainment spending topped SAR 4.0 billion. In 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 27 million international tourists, with spend exceeding SAR 141 billion. Furthermore, the combined total of domestic and international tourists for that year surpassed 109 million.

The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, has implemented two pioneering initiatives that focused on training human resources in working in luxury coastal resorts and travel agencies according to the best international practices. One of the initiatives targeted 1,059 trainees working in major Red Sea tourism projects such as Red Sea Global, Cruise Saudi, and NEOM. The training, which focused on customer service experiences and safety principles, was conducted as part of the second edition of the Tourism Trailblazers Program. (SPA report) The other initiative entailed increasing the public and private sectors integration through collaboration between the ministry and the authority in selecting elite human resources working in luxury coastal resorts and tourism marine agents organizing luxury cruise trips. These selected individuals participated in a specialized training program on a European cruise liner, accredited by the University of Plymouth, in partnership with Dale Carnegie UK and supervised by Umm Al-Qura University. The initiative aims to equip trainees with the skills and expertise needed in hospitality and guest service, and manage various hospitality-related operations on board cruise ships. These initiatives reflect the Ministry of Tourism’s and SRSA’s commitment to training national talent in the coastal tourism sector and their vital role in making Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast a leading coastal tourism destination. SRSA aims to provide over 210,000 jobs by 2030 and contribute more than SAR85 billion to the GDP that same year.

Saudi tourism statistics achieved positive results during this year, with total number of tourists (overnight visitors for all purposes) reaching (53.6 million), including (39.0 million) domestic tourists and (14.6 million) inbound tourists. The Ministry of Tourism is delighted to announce the preliminary data for the first half of 2023 tourism statistics, which demonstrates the continuous achievements following 2022’s remarkable growth within the tourism sector, in addition to informing local and international investors on the sector’s latest updates, this confirms the effectiveness of the Ministry of Tourism and its partners efforts in attracting visitors by enhancing the tourism products and quality of services, in addition to improving visa structures. Saudi tourism statistics achieved positive results during this year, with total number of tourists (overnight visitors for all purposes) reaching (53.6 million), including (39.0 million) domestic tourists and (14.6 million) inbound tourists. The total tourism spending reached (SAR150 billion), of which (SAR 63.1 billion) came from domestic tourism and (SAR 86.9 billion) from Inbound tourism, that indicates a new historical record for Saudi tourism. Inbound tourism achieved historical record numbers in the first half of 2023, recording an increase of (142%) in number of tourists and (132%) in total tourism spending vs. the first half of 2022. With the continuous development of the tourism sector, there has been an increase in the number of tourists for all purposes with leisure tourists showing the highest growth (347%) vs. the first half of 2022. Domestic tourism in the first half of 2023 recorded a growth of (16%) in tourism spending, due to the average length of stay increasing from (4.6) nights in the first half of 2022 to (6.3) nights in the first half of …

In a significant milestone, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia have announced the extension of their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This historic agreement, follows last year’s successful Global Summit in Riyadh and underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to further enhance its Travel & Tourism sector. Saudi Arabia is committing a staggering $800 billion to unlock the full potential of its breathtaking landscapes and cultural treasures for travellers worldwide. This landmark agreement unites private and public sectors in a concerted effort to craft a sustainable blueprint for growth. The MoU, signed today during the Kingdom’s World Tourism Day event in Riyadh, solidifies the collaboration between WTTC and Saudi Arabia, focusing on advancing key objectives, including the promotion of job creation, talent development, and global business opportunities within Travel & Tourism. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Through the signing of this MoU, WTTC and the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia embark on a new chapter of cooperation, uniting our expertise to shape a prosperous future for the Travel & Tourism sector. “Together, we can continue to create a powerful synergy that will open doors to endless opportunities, benefiting travellers, businesses, and destinations alike.”

The Ministry of Tourism in Saudi Arabia  announced an extraordinary achievement in the country’s tourism sector. In the first quarter of 2023, Saudi Arabia witnessed a remarkable transformation, transitioning from a deficit of USD 427 million in Q1 2022 to an impressive surplus of USD 6.1 billion during the same period this year. This momentous shift is underpinned by the phenomenal growth in incoming tourism revenues, which have surged by an astounding 225% compared to the first quarter of 2022, reaching a staggering USD 9.8 billion. This data, reported by the Saudi Central Bank, showcases the Ministry of Tourism’s unwavering commitment to not only revitalizing the tourism sector but also harnessing its pivotal role in advancing the national economy. His Excellency the Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, underscored the significance of this accomplishment, stating, “These achievements are a testament to the Kingdom’s dedication to creating a world-class tourism sector. In the past year, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has witnessed a paradigm shift driven by new regulations, increased connectivity, ease of accessibility, and a greater focus on partnerships. Saudi Arabia is rapidly emerging as a key global destination for tourists and investors, powered by a skilled and ambitious workforce. The Kingdom is shaping the future of tourism, one that is sustainable, full of opportunity, and connects communities, countries, and cultures.” In recent times, Saudi Arabia has achieved several notable milestones in the tourism industry. The country ascended an impressive 16 places in the international tourism revenue index, ranking 11th globally in 2022. This marked a significant leap from its 27th position in 2019. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia continued to excel internationally, welcoming approximately 7.8 million tourists in the first quarter of …

According to Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Khalid University, University of Tabuk, Batterjee Medical College, Prince Mohammed bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship, and several renowned international institutions in tourism education, has launched five specialized educational programs for master’s degrees and applied diplomas in the tourism and hospitality sectors. These programs aim to cater to the market demands for skilled professionals in different regions of the Kingdom. The Tourism Education Initiative, initiated by the Ministry of Tourism, aims to align with the increasing need for qualified personnel in the tourism and hospitality industry within the Kingdom. As part of the National Strategy of Tourism Development and the Saudi Vision 2030, the Ministry of Tourism plans to generate one million jobs in diverse tourism sectors by 2030.

His Excellency the Minister of Tourism, Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, inaugurated the MT Unified Platform, which is the latest government service platform in the Kingdom, during the Digital Government Forum 2022 themed “Towards a Promising Digital Horizon.” The forum was organized by the Digital Government Authority recently in Riyadh, while several government agencies participated in the presence of Their Excellencies, as well as experts, specialists, and decision-makers in the field of digital government locally and internationally. In its first edition, the forum aims to showcase digital government achievements and success stories locally and internationally. It also seeks to enable digital community elites to meet, communicate, exchange experiences, build partnerships, discuss challenges and best modern technological practices, review future digital governments directions, and discuss investment opportunities within the Saudi digital sector. The forum also included a presentation of the most prominent digital government products, in addition to several new publications, most notably MT’s Unified Tourism Platform. The platform aims to attract investors and provide services to job seekers and tourism service providers as part of MT’s efforts to activate the Digital Tourism Strategy launched by His Excellency the Minister at the beginning of this year. The Unified Platform has an attractive design and a smart user interface that provides MT’s various services in a user-friendly fashion. It also provides information on each service as well as step-by-step explanations to ensure the users get the best experience. The Ministry was also keen on supporting the platform with the best technological services and allocated a technical support team for it to provide assistance. The Unified Platform development is part of MT’s efforts to enhance the digital transformation process in the Kingdom and contribute …

The Ministry of Tourism, in coordination with relevant health authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced the following regulations: Temporary suspension on issuing tourism visas to tourists from countries with significant coronavirus risk areas: China, Italy, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Kazakhstan; Temporary suspension on processing tourism visas previously issued to the citizens from the above-mentioned countries; Temporary suspension on issuing or processing tourism visas for anyone who have visited high risk areas within the past 14 days; Continued issuing of electronic and on arrival tourist visas for citizens from other permitted countries; Tourism visa holders will not be permitted to visit Makkah and Al Madina. The Ministry of Tourism stated that such measures are taken to provide the utmost protection to citizens, residents and tourists visiting Saudi Arabia. This is in line with the recommendations of relevant health authorities concerned with applying the highest precautionary standards, and taking proactive preventive measures to avoid the entrance and spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Tourism announced that these measures are temporary and are being constantly monitored by relevant authorities.

The Ministry of Tourism, Oman, revealed that there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists who flocked to Dhofar during this year’s Salalah Khareef Festival. According to the Ministry, tourist arrivals to the governorate reached 631,582 between June 20 and August 16, 2019. UAE nationals accounted for 7.6 per cent of the total number of tourist arrivals, while tourists from other GCC countries accounted for 9.2 per cent. Saleh bin Ali Al Khaifi, Director of Promotion and Marketing department, Oman Ministry of Tourism, said, “The Dhofar Governorate is one of the leading and most preferred tourist destinations for visitors from the GCC countries. Its unique nature and cool weather make it a perfect summer destination, apart from many historical attractions and diverse recreational activities. We are keen to organise a series of promotional tours to promote exclusive offers and tourist activities that are specifically designed for visitors seeking to escape the sweltering summer heat experienced in various GCC countries, while also engaging in fun activities.” The Salalah Tourism Festival is held annually and features a busy schedule comprising art and culture performances and folk markets, as well as cooking shows that offer tourists opportunities to enjoy traditional Omani dishes.