SAUDI LURES TOURISTS WITH NEW E-VISA PROGRAMME

Saudi Arabia has elevated its global tourism profile with the launch of e-tourist visas for nationals of 49 countries.

The visas are available online on the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage website or on arrival at Saudi ports. The main receiving ports are King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, King Fahd Causeway, Al Bat-ha Land Port, and Prince Abdulmajeed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Al-Ula, according to The Passports Department.

The 49 countries include some of Saudi Arabia’s biggest trading partners: the United States, China, South Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

The new initiative is part of the overarching strategy to attract 100 million visitors per year by 2030, compared to current tourist levels of 41 million.

By 2030, the kingdom will be one of the top five countries receiving foreign tourists from all over the world, with revenues of up to 10% instead of the current 3% of gross national income, while the number of jobs in the tourism sector will reach 1.6 million compared to just 600,000 jobs currently, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The landmark event was marked by a grand ceremony organised by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) in September.

“The kingdom at this historical moment opens its doors to the world. Of course, we are a people welcoming the visitor and honouring the guest, so emanating from this point, tourists will see that hospitality, generosity, beauty of nature and civilisation depth as important elements in our country,” said the chairman of the board of directors of SCTH, Ahmad Al-Khateeb.

"I am pleased to announce the attraction of SAR 115 billion so far and this confirms the global confidence in the strength of the Saudi market and its promising opportunities," he noted.

Saudi Arabia is already on the radar of global travels as the kingdom raises its international profile. Total tourist numbers in July and August, which coincided with summer vacations and the Hajj season, reached 3.2 million, compared to 3 million during the same period last year, according to the Tourism Information and Research Center (MAS) of SCTH.

The report noted that incoming tourists spent more than 56 million tourism nights in the last two months, compared to 52.9 million last year for the same period, during which they spent about SAR 36.2 billion, compared to SAR 33 billion in 2018.

Domestic travellers between January and August of this year saw 30 million trips, an increase of 3.4% over the same period last year, and a total of 156.5 million tourist nights compared to 156.2 million tourist nights in 2018.

Tourism expenditures also increased to SAR 33.8 billion in 2019 from SAR 31.3billion last year.

Saudi Arabia is seen as the last major tourist attraction opening up to the world. The United Nations Educational Scientific and Culture Organization (UNESCO) already has designated five Saudi sites on its World Heritage List.

These are: Al-Ahsa Oasis, an evolving cultural landscape (2018), Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih) (2008), At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (2010), Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (2014), and Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia (2015).

Another 11 sites, including Hima, a rock art site in Najran (2015), Dûmat Al-Jandal Historical Oasis in Al-Jawf Region (2015) and ‘Uruq Bani Mu’arid Protected Area (2019) are on UNESCO’s tentative list.

A number of tourism infrastructure projects are also on the way to spur tourism business in the kingdom. The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) awarded a contract to Foster + Partners for a design contract for the destination’s international airport, set to serve the one million visitors per year expected by 2030.

TRSDC on the northwest of the country boasts 90-plus islands, of which 75% will remain undeveloped, and will feature 8,000 hotel rooms across 22 islands and six inland sites, when completed by 2030.

The airport, due for completion in 2022, will serve an estimated one million tourists per year with a schedule of domestic and international flights, and a peak of 900 passengers per hour.

“The airport will be a cutting-edge facility providing a unique experience for our visitors. Smart technology will play a vital role in the development of the airport and it was key for us to work with a company who could assemble a team with the skills to ensure the airport would be smart by design,” said Ian Williamson, chief project delivery officer at TRSDC.