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TOURISM

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SAUDI CLIMBS RANKINGS LADDER AS TOURISM REFORMS TAKE HOL

Saudi Arabia ranked 13th globally in the latest World Tourism Organization (WTO) index, a 12-place improvement compared to 2019.

The number of international tourists who visited the kingdom for all travel purposes hit 16.6 million in 2022, WTO reported. The country also advanced 16 places in the international tourism revenue index, achieving 11th place in 2022, compared to 27th place in 2019 globally, according to the World Tourism Barometer report for May 2023 issued by the WTO.

“The kingdom continued to make progress in its tourism sector, as it received about 7.8 million international tourists for all purposes during the first quarter of 2023, representing its highest quarterly performance, up 64% compared to the same period in 2019,” according to Saudi Press Agency. The country also reached second on the list of the fastest-growing tourism destinations during this period, according to the latest data from WTO.

Saudi Arabia has streamlined its travel visa procedures, planned promotional campaigns in target countries, and highlighted the diversity of its tourism destinations, which led to the higher placed ranking. Since the launch of Saudi’s tourism initiatives, 49 countries have been allowed to obtain electronic visas. The kingdom has also emerged to climb the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF), marking the 33rd position globally, advancing 10 ranks from 2019.

 

NEW HOTELS

The kingdom plans to invest more than USD 800 billion over the next 10 years.

Saudi continues to enjoy investment from huge players in the industry, with more than USD 1 trillion of real estate and infrastructure projects under development or in the pipeline in the country, indicating strong confidence in Saudi tourism’s upward trajectory.

As part of that ambition, the Ministry of Tourism sponsored an agreement between InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Tasheed Contracting Company to open a minimum of 12 hotels, worth SAR 1.3 billion, increasing the InterContinental Hotels and Resorts Group’s portfolio in the country. The target cities for the hotels, which are expected to provide 2,500 rooms in total, include Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, Jeddah, Taif, Abha, Tabuk, Jazan, AlUla, Al-Bahah, Yanbu, Hail, Al-Ahsa, and Najran.

 

RED SEA DEVELOPMENTS

In June, IGY Marinas partnered with NEOM, the global development taking shape in northwest Saudi Arabia, to develop and operate the prestigious marina at Sindalah, the giga-project’s luxury island destination.

Positioned as a gateway to the Red Sea, Sindalah will be the closest ultra-prime superyacht marina to Europe and the Mediterranean. Expected to become an iconic destination for the world’s yachting community, the maritime facility will oer 86 berths for yachts up to 50 metres and additional serviced oshore buoys for superyachts up to 180 metres.

“IGY’s unique position and expertise will help Sindalah realise this goal and set a benchmark for premium customer experience,” the company said. “Once established, the marina will join IGY’s international superyacht marina network of 23 marinas across 12 countries - the only network of its kind in the world - as well as their exclusive superyacht membership programme IGY Trident.”

The kingdom is also delivering on its tourism ambition with projects including The Red Sea Project, the world’s most ambitious, sustainable luxury tourism development, Diriyah, the 300-year-old mud city and birthplace of Saudi and Sindalah.

“The country is also home to a diverse landscape that can be enjoyed year-round, from the UNESCO-listed oasis of Al-Ahsa, to the pristine coral reefs of Saudi’s 1,700-kilometre-long Red Sea coast, which can be enjoyed by divers and cruise liners, and where the first of 16 luxury hotels will be opening later this year,” according to the Saudi Tourism Authority. “Saudi also oers the cool, green highlands of Asir where the locals holiday in the summer.”

A record 53 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed on the Saudi stand at the Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai in May. The MoUs were inked with key international and regional partners including ODIGEO, Visa, Sabre Travel, Careem, Almosafer, Travelport, and FTI. These partnerships focus on contributions beyond commitment to visits, with more of a long-term strategic goal, including the development of experiences and destination management companies (DMCs), data sharing and analytics, tech connectivity, and ambassador creation.