Saudi Arabia welcomes 60 million visitors in H1 2024

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The Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb recently announced that the kingdom welcomed 60 million tourists in H1 2024, with total spending reaching SAR150bn.

According to Saudi Tourism, the first quarter of 2024 saw an influx of 30 million tourists, generating SAR75bn in revenue. The kingdom witnessed a 22.9 per cent increase in visitor spending in Q1 2024 compared to 2023, with total expenditures surpassing SAR45bn.

Additionally, the “travel” item reports that the kingdom earned SAR24bn, reflecting a growth of over 46 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. Preliminary data from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) on the balance of payments’ “travel” item indicates that travellers from the kingdom spent approximately SAR21bn during the same timeframe.

Speaking at a press conference last week, Al-Khateeb underscored the government’s commitment to developing the tourism sector, which currently represents 3 per cent of the kingdom’s GDP.

He noted that globally, tourism accounts for 10 per cent of the economy.

Saudi Tourism: Positive growth and outlook

In 2023, the kingdom hosted approximately 109 million tourists, including 27 million international visitors, ranking 11th worldwide in terms of tourist numbers.

Al-Khateeb highlighted that the country’s tourism growth rate reached 153 per cent compared to 2019, positioning Saudi Arabia as one of the fastest-growing nations among the G20 nations.

The minister outlined plans to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the local economy from the current 5 per cent to 10 per cent, equivalent to SAR600-700bn.

During the press conference, Al-Khateeb emphasised that collaboration with relevant entities has been crucial to the sector’s success. The tourism sector’s income contributed 5 per cent to the economy in H1 2024.

Al-Khateeb praised the kingdom’s human resources, noting that young Saudis will be instrumental in conveying local culture to future guests, though much work remains to achieve the sector’s goals.

To empower Saudis in the tourism sector, the ministry has provided 100,000 training courses, increased salaries to SR6,000, and 1,500 individuals have assumed leadership positions.

In 2023, the kingdom topped the UN Tourism list for the highest growth rate in both international tourist numbers and tourism receipts among the world’s leading destinations, compared to 2019.

Read: Saudia carries record 9 million passengers in H1 2024