RIYADH: When Saudi Arabia launched its National Tourism Strategy aimed at attracting 100 million tourists annually by the end of this decade, some were doubtful about how the Kingdom was going to realize this ambitious dream.
But in 2024, Saudi Arabia welcomed 115.9 million tourists, easily surpassing the Vision 2030 target six years ahead of schedule.
The growth underscores the government’s push to position tourism as a pillar of economic diversification, as the Kingdom continues to reduce its dependence on crude revenues.
Having already reached its goal,, the Kingdom raised its target to 150 million annual visitors by 2030.
At the heart of this journey is raising investments in the tourism sector, which could accelerate the journey of the Kingdom to emerge as a global hub for visitors.
