Tag Archives: Saudi tourism

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Radisson Hotel Group, marking a new chapter in their mutual commitment to driving tourism and enhancing the Kingdom’s global visibility as a leading destination. The MoU outlines a strategic framework for collaboration, with both parties set to explore opportunities that align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s ambition to welcome 150 million visitors annually by the end of the decade. As part of this partnership, Saudi Tourism Authority and Radisson Hotel Group will evaluate a range of potential initiatives. These include amplifying the visibility of the ‘Visit Saudi’ brand across Radisson’s global marketing platforms and developing co-branded campaigns that spotlight Saudi Arabia’s diverse attractions. Basel Talal, Managing Director, KSA, Kuwait & Levant Radisson Hotel Group, commented: “Saudi Arabia is one of the most dynamic travel destinations globally, and we are proud to support its tourism ambitions through this MoU with the Saudi Tourism Authority. This agreement sets the foundation for impactful collaborations that will enhance the Kingdom’s visibility, attract new travelers, and offer unforgettable experiences to guests across our growing portfolio of hotels in Saudi Arabia.” With nearly 50 hotels operating and under development across the Kingdom, Radisson Hotel Group is a major hospitality partner supporting Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation and Vision 2030 objectives. Recent openings in the Kingdom include the launch of Radisson Hotel Group’s first hotel in Madinah, Radisson Hotel Madinh and Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Center Riyadh Minhal, further strengthening its presence across the holy cities. Upcoming openings include Radisson Blu Hotel Riyadh Al Sahafa, Radisson Hotel Jeddah Tahlia Street, Radisson Collection Residence Riyadh, and Radisson Hotel Makkah Thakher City.

The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and Accor announced the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) marking a strategic partnership that will build on Saudi’s emergence as a global tourism powerhouse. This collaboration aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s goals, aiming to enhance international demand, grow brand visibility, and drive hotel bookings and loyalty across the country’s expanding hospitality landscape. The agreement strengthens Accor’s commitment to Saudi, creating significant commercial opportunities, expanding its reach, and elevating guest experiences across its portfolio. With a network of over 45 operating hotels — representing more than 17,000 rooms across 15 brands — and 44 properties in the pipeline set to add a further 11,000 rooms, Accor is strongly positioned to contribute to Saudi’s bold tourism ambitions and rising global appeal. Under the MOU, Accor and STA will co-create targeted marketing campaigns across key international markets, promote Saudi through digital platforms — including the dedicated Makkah Madinah Portal — and deliver curated guest experiences that inspire loyalty and drive visitation. The partnership will also drive traffic to ALL.com, strengthen engagement with the ALL – Accor Live Limitless loyalty programme, and roll out exclusive new experiences tailored to Saudi‘s diverse destinations. Duncan O’Rourke, Accor’s Chief Executive Officer, Premium, Midscale & Economy brands for Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific said, “Accor’s strategic partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority reinforces our long-standing presence in the country and our shared commitment to driving tourism growth. Together, we will co-create impactful guest experiences, elevate service offerings, and bring the beauty and diversity of Saudi to a global audience. The opportunity to help shape the Saudi’s tourism landscape from the ground up makes this the ideal time for strategic alignment …

flynas launched its first direct flight between Jeddah and Berlin aligning with flynas growth and expansion plan under the slogan “We connect the world to the Kingdom”, in partnership with Air Connectivity Program (ACP), with support of Saudi Tourism Authority (STA). The new Berlin-Jeddah route, launched in partnership with the Air Connectivity Program (ACP), will offer three weekly flights from King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah to Berlin International Airport (BER). An inaugural ceremony was held at King Abdulaziz International Airport in the presence of representatives from flynas, Jeddah Airports Company (JEDCO), the ACP, and Consulate General of Germany in Jeddah. On the other side, the maiden flight was welcomed Berlin Brandenburg Airport with a reception ceremony in the presence of representatives from ACP, Berlin airport. On the next day, September 5, flynas organized a ceremony on this occasion in Berlin that was attended by and stakeholders of flynas in Germany. This Expansion in the European market is in line with flynas growth and expansion plan, launched under the slogan “We connect the world to the Kingdom”, and in parallel with the National Civil Aviation Strategy to enable national air carriers to contribute to connecting KSA with 250 International destinations and to accommodate 330 million passengers and to host 100 million tourists yearly by 2030 and the objectives of the Pilgrims Experience Program (PEP) to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques. The CEO of Jeddah Airports, Engineer Mazen Johar, said “the launch of the first flynas flights between the German Capital “Berlin” and King Abdulaziz international airport in Jeddah supports Jeddah Airports Company’s strategy of increasing the number of destinations connected to King Abdulaziz International Airport . This …

Her Highness Princess Haifa Mohammed Al Saud, Vice Minister of Tourism, has initiated the largest programmatic and institutional accreditation initiative. This effort is designed to enhance the quality of tourism education and training, aiming to improve the efficiency of education and training outcomes in the Kingdom’s tourism sector and better connect them to the labor market. HH emphasized that since its inception, the Ministry has been dedicated to enhancing the educational and training programs and aligning their outcomes with the needs of the current and future labor market. She noted that the launch of this substantial initiative marks a critical step towards ensuring the success of these efforts. HH also detailed that this initiative, the largest worldwide, involves assessing the quality of 102 national tourism education and training programs throughout 2024. This assessment will be conducted in partnership with 3 organizations to measure the quality of tourism programs: UN Tourism, the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation. The goal of the initiative is to enable tourism education and training institutions supported by the Ministry of Tourism to earn both international and local accreditations and professional certificates. The initiative aims to accomplish various short- and long-term objectives. These include 31 tourism education and training programs and institutions receiving national and international accreditation by 2024, 200 trainers and educational and administrative staff earning professional certificates to deliver new tourism programs developed by the Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization for the year 2024, and 37 Ministry of Tourism employees obtaining professional certification to manage tourism programs. Additionally, by 2025, the initiative targets 27 tourism education and training programs and institutions to achieve …

Saudi’s national tourism brand ‘Saudi Welcome To Arabia’ has kicked off another global marketing campaign featuring football legend and Saudi Tourism Ambassador, Lionel Messi. Launching across key target markets in Europe, India and China, the “Go Beyond What You Think” campaign is anchored on consumer insights, which revealed there are still common misconceptions about the destination, and invites audiences to experience the incredible and vibrant cultural transformation taking place across Saudi. Those that know Saudi are encouraged to share positive experiences and memories on TikTok and social channels using the bi-lingual hashtags #ShareYourSaudi and in Arabic #السعودية_بعيونك,. The latest ‘Saudi Welcome to Arabia’ brand campaign is a combination of TV, Social, Digital, and OTA tactics activated over a three-month period. It is the latest in a series of initiatives by Saudi Tourism to foster broadening of perspectives, and bridging cultures through tourism. The campaign brings to life the UN Tourism, ‘Tourism Opens Minds’ Initiative that launched on World Tourism Day in Riyadh in September 2023, which extends a compelling invitation for travelers to broaden horizons and explore uncharted corners of the world. Governments and industry were presented with a special pledge, calling on them to promote new and under-appreciated destinations while consumers pledged to ‘be open-minded to new cultures and destinations, holding an open heart while travelling’ Lionel Messi is one of many leading international figures who took that pledge. Messi has a fond connection with Saudi being a frequent visitor to the country, including most recently with his wife, Antonella and their two children last Spring. Both Messi and his family have expressed delight in their Saudi experiences and a desire to continue visiting the country. Boldly addressing these …

Minister of Tourism Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HE Ahmed Al-Khateeb shared 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. According to the Saudi Gazette, 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 strategies and plans that were developed are now proceeding correctly. Last year the sector’s contribution increased to 4.5 percent of GDP, and seven percent of non-oil GDP. “We created many jobs in the tourism sector, indicating that the state’s expansion in establishing major projects was with the aim of developing the tourism sector and attracting investments to it, and competing for the 1.7 billion tourists in the world looking …

Almosafer revealed in its data insights collated from across the company’s consumer platforms during 2023, that over 40% of the total booking share comes from the domestic sector, with 83% of local travellers showing a preference for luxury accommodation options. The new domestic travel trends report was released by Almosafer during the 2024 Saudi Tourism Forum held in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s leading travel company (part of Seera Group), further revealed that Saudi travellers are showing a strong appetite for the diverse range of tourism offerings within the country, leading to impressive gains for the domestic tourism sector in 2023. With the average length of stay being two nights, the overall number of room nights for hotels have seen a 22% year on year growth in 2023 compared to 2022. A key player in the travel and tourism industry in the Kingdom, Almosafer is accelerating efforts to boost domestic tourism and promote Saudi Arabia as one of the top travel destinations in the region by facilitating unforgettable journeys and creating seamless travel experiences for consumers across its business and consumer portals. This is in line with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 that aims to attract 150 million tourists annually by the start of the next decade, with half of its tourism demand to come from domestic travel. The new trends report has further highlighted that among the top growing destinations in the Kingdom, AlUla is the preferred luxury option, Jazan and Tabuk are winter favourites and Abha is a popular destination for families to spend the summer break. Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Makkah & Madinah remain the most popular destinations in terms of room nights sold. The booking behaviour of Saudi …

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) has obtained a Welcome Chinese Certification, the first in the Kingdom and the MENA region. The accreditation reflects how Riyadh Airports Company (RAC) is meeting Chinese passengers’ needs in KKIA’s terminals and facilities, offering a seamless travel experience, and strengthens its relationship with the Chinese market, one of the biggest markets in Asia and the world. The certificate was obtained as RAC achieved standards and requirements issued by the China Tourism Academy (CTA) and Select Holding Ltd. It affirms Riyadh Airports’ competency in studying and assessing passengers’ needs and providing an exceptional experience. The Welcome Chinese Certification positively reflects on Riyadh Airport as KKIA is already reaping the benefits of marketing and promotional services in the Chinese travel industry. It contributes to enhancing the national economy through business partnerships in the Saudi-Chinese market and attracting tourists and businesses, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom Vision 2030 in the business, tourism, and industrial sectors. Mr. Musad bin Abdulaziz Al-Daood, CEO of Riyadh Airports said: “This unprecedented achievement cements Saudi-Chinese relations and represents a connection to one of the most important tourism markets in Asia. It will also reflect on Saudi tourism, which is a national economic mainstay, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom Vision 2030.” The Chairman of the China Tourism Academy, Mr. Bin Dai commented: “Congratulations to King Khalid International Airport for becoming a new member of Welcome Chinese! This signifies greater recognition from Chinese tourists and an increased influence on international tourism. We look forward to an enhanced experience at Riyadh Airport and to higher-quality tourism in Saudi Arabia!” RAC, which manages and operates KKIA, had started to work …

Cruise Saudi  is committed to creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in Saudi by 2035, which will benefit the local workforce. In line with this, Cruise Saudi was keen to participate in the Ministry of Tourism’s first two-day Tourism Job Fair, with the aim of recruiting Saudi talents in the rapidly growing cruise tourism sector. Cruise Saudi Chief Human Capital Officer Ayman AlGhamdi said: “As we are developing a new industry that supports the Saudi Tourism sector, we believe in investing in the local community and its cadres. With a Saudization rate of 71 per cent, we are proud of our local talents who have proven their capabilities, qualifications and fast development in a wide range of cruise related fields.” Additionally, Cruise Saudi has outperformed the female employment goals outlined in Vision 2030, with their participation in the workforce now reaching 32 per cent, ahead of the 2030 target of 30 per cent. Saudi tourism is currently undergoing a massive transformation with a focus on long-term, sustainable growth. Under plans set out in Vision 2030, tourism will become an important tributary for national economy. Deputy Minister of Tourism Human Capabilities Development Mohamed Bushnaq said: “This forum comes at a pivotal moment, as Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is undergoing substantial development. Having transformed into a regulated industry backed by regulations, systems, projects, and programs, it is striving to become one of the most important pillars of Saudi Vision 2030. The ultimate aim is to contribute to the diversification and prosperity of the national economy. “We are here today, steadfastly continuing our journey to provide more opportunities for this generous nation by launching the first tourism employment forum both in-person and through …

Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) officially launched ‘Rethink Summer’, its seasonal campaign aimed at promoting Saudi as a diverse, unique summer destination for adventurers and explorers from within Saudi and abroad. As part of the campaign launch, for the first time and in its efforts to empower and enable the private sector, STA brought together key partners within the governmental, private, and tourism ecosystem at an official event held in Riyadh. The briefing event was an exclusive preview into the campaign, the key destinations, events and experiences being showcased and a call-to-action for trade partners to further enhance and strengthen the country’s product offering through their own promotions and offers. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority said: “Saudi is the fastest growing destination worldwide today, with a proven capacity to host visitors from the world over, yearlong. Building on this, we are pleased to launch the ‘Rethink Summer’ campaign to share the beautiful diversity of Saudi with the world, from the cool, green highlands, to the coasts of the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. Entertainment events will be special and for everyone. Our partners in the private sector are instrumental in this campaign, offering over 1.8 million additional seats for inbound flights, more than 15 thousand new hotel rooms, and over 100 products tailored to meet the taste of all our visitors this summer. This is the largest contribution of the private sector yet.” The destination is set to hit significant milestones this year, from the opening of the first three resorts at The Red Sea, the world’s most ambitious, regenerative, luxury tourism development to Sindalah Island, NEOM’s incomparable island destination. Diriyah, the …