According to a report by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) quoted by the Saudi state news agency (SPA), Saudi Arabia experienced a remarkable surge in tourist arrivals last year, with a 156 percent increase compared to 2019. This growth can be attributed to the recovery of the tourism sector following the pandemic. Interestingly, the Middle East was the only region to achieve tourism growth surpassing pre-pandemic levels, welcoming 122 percent more tourists in 2023 than in 2019.
The report stated that global tourism recovery in 2023 reached 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 1.3 billion arrivals worldwide. International tourism revenue also saw a significant rebound, reaching $1.3 trillion, which is approximately 93 percent of the revenue generated in 2019.
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Ambitious projects for economic transformation
As the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia has been actively working to transform its economy through its Vision 2030 diversification agenda. The country aims to reduce its reliance on oil, stimulate domestic industries, and promote job growth. In pursuit of this strategy, Saudi Arabia has undertaken various ambitious projects, including Qiddiya, NEOM (a futuristic city with a budget of $500 billion), the Red Sea Project, and the Diriyah Gate heritage development.
A report by consultancy firm PwC in October highlighted the strong progress made in achieving many of the economic goals outlined in Vision 2030. The mega projects in Saudi Arabia have transitioned from the conceptual phase to the construction phase, indicating significant advancement.
Notable achievements
In 2023, Saudi Arabia ranked fifth globally in terms of international arrivals, successfully returning to pre-COVID levels of inbound visitors. This achievement can be attributed to factors such as the influx of Hajj pilgrims, investments in marketing the country as a tourist destination, and efforts to diversify the economy. According to the Global Travel Trends report by travel analysis company ForwardKeys, Saudi Arabia also ranked second among the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world during the first three quarters of that year.
The U.N. agency estimated that the global tourism sector contributed 3 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, amounting to $3.3 trillion.
Furthermore, SPA reported that Saudi Arabia ranked first among G20 countries in terms of the number of arriving tourists in 2023. Additionally, it secured the second position as one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world during the first three quarters of that year.
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