The Saudi Ministry of Tourism has witnessed remarkable growth in visitor numbers, surpassing its earlier targets. In a recent discussion at the Fortune Global Forum 2025, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted that visitors to Saudi Arabia have increased from 80 million in 2019 to an impressive 116 million currently, exceeding the initial goal of 100 million.

Setting their sights higher, Saudi Arabia now aims for 150 million visitors by 2030, including welcoming 50 million international tourists. This ambitious target positions the Kingdom as one of the top ten most visited countries worldwide. During his address, Al-Khateeb underscored tourism's pivotal role within Vision 2030, emphasizing development initiatives that promise economic growth and job creation for both youth and women.

In preparation for hosting significant global events like the World Cup in 2034 and other prestigious gatherings such as the UN World Tourism Forum and a major travel and tourism convention in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is enhancing its tourism infrastructure. Airports, hotels, and entertainment venues are being upgraded with a strategic aim to boost tourism's GDP contribution to ten percent by the end of the decade while generating approximately 1.6 million jobs.

The minister also spotlighted efforts focused on improving visitor experiences through innovation and service excellence while prioritizing environmental sustainability. Initiatives include establishing a dedicated global center for tourism and environment sustainability tasked with protecting natural destinations across the Kingdom.

A commitment to human capital development has seen more than 600,000 young Saudis trained since implementing these transformative plans. This ensures that service provision aligns with top international standards.

Alkhbr News reflects on how Saudi projects like Cruise Saudi and Red Sea Global exemplify ambitions to export local tourism initiatives abroad—fostering skill exchange and destination management collaborations internationally. Future endeavors include constructing up to 50 hotels by decade’s end and expanding offerings throughout Red Sea islands.

Diverse cultural content remains central; with support from entities like the General Entertainment Authority offering varied public events spanning culture, sports, arts—all conducted under strict safety guidelines.

Minister Al-Khateeb concluded by assuring that Saudi Arabia remains a safe haven for tourists where cultural appreciation meets warm hospitality—a sentiment echoing across sectors engaged in growing this vital industry forward into new horizons.

Saudi Arabia Aims to Globalize Its Tourism Ambitions

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