During the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khatib, confirmed that tourist numbers in Saudi Arabia saw a “10%” increase in the first quarter of 2024, with their expenditure rising by “17%”.
Al-Khatib highlighted that the Kingdom has exceeded the targets set in the National Tourism Strategy, surpassing 100 million visits. This includes over 77 million domestic visits and 27 million international tourists, who collectively spent 150 billion Saudi riyals. The goal is to achieve 110 million visits this year and 150 million visits by 2030, as reported by Al Arabiya.
He pointed out that the Kingdom remains unaffected by regional geopolitical risks and the rise in US interest rates, factors that significantly influence the global travel market.
Identifying the top tourist destinations within the Kingdom, Al-Khatib mentioned Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Al Ula, and the Red Sea. Regarding the nationalities most represented among visitors, he indicated that Gulf nationals lead the list, followed by the British and then the Germans.
