Saudi Arabia is poised to welcome 70 million tourists annually by 2030, with ambitions to rank among the top seven global tourist destinations, according to the Kingdom’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb.
Speaking at The Way We Will Travel panel session during the 2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Al Khateeb highlighted that Saudi Arabia saw a record influx of nearly 30 million international tourists last year. He emphasized the ongoing growth in international tourist arrivals to the Kingdom during his participation in the event.
Key factors driving tourism success
Al Khateeb credited the success of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector to effective governance and integrated planning. He pointed out essential initiatives, such as the launch of e-visas and the development of airports in major tourist areas, which have greatly increased the number of international visitors. “Saudi Arabia focuses on enhancing the entire tourist journey, from flights and landing points to mobility and destinations,” Al Khateeb stated. Efforts are in progress to create new destinations and modern airports, including King Salman International Airport, which is expected to accommodate over 120 million travelers. Furthermore, the Kingdom has introduced a new airline, Riyadh Air, to bolster its tourism goals.
Global recognition of Saudi Arabia’s tourism advancements
During the session, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, commended the substantial progress made in Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry. He underscored the Kingdom’s collaborations with various destinations and nations, highlighting its robust performance in the sector. Additionally, Al Khateeb exchanged insights with prominent figures, including Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, CEO of Avolta AG Xavier Rossinyol, and Trip.com CEO Jane Sun.
Showcasing achievements at the Saudi House pavilion
Visitors to the Saudi House pavilion at WEF 2025 in Davos had the opportunity to explore Saudi Arabia’s accomplishments across multiple sectors. The pavilion showcases the promising investment opportunities available under Saudi Vision 2030 in areas such as health, transport and logistics, communications and infrastructure, tourism, industry, scientific research, and precious metals, highlighting the latest trends in local and global social and economic transformation.
The pavilion also introduces guests to investment opportunities and incentives within the Kingdom’s aviation sector, including public-private partnerships aimed at developing airports. It further highlights advancements in the industrial cities of Jubail, Yanbu, Ras Al-Khair, and Jazan, demonstrating the potential for progress and sustainability within these key industrial hubs.
Connecting innovators and entrepreneurs
Emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s expanding global role and influence, the Saudi House pavilion serves as a platform to connect entrepreneurs, change-makers, and innovators while providing strategic insights into vital areas shaping the future. The pavilion hosted a series of dialogue sessions featuring a high-level ministerial delegation participating in the forum. These discussions covered a range of topics, including adapting to the era of smart technologies, transforming healthcare through virtual innovation, the role of tourism and travel in building trust, logistics services driving global trade growth, building resilient societies, new methods for measuring non-GDP growth, diplomacy in times of disorder, untapped investment opportunities in the Kingdom, expanding sustainable tourism, promoting connections between people and places, and smart planning for sustainable industrial cities.
