Source: AFP
Saudi Arabia will attract 27 million foreign tourists in 2023, more than doubling its goal by the end of 2020, officials announced on Tuesday.
The announcement comes less than five years after the Gulf kingdom fully opened to tourism and amid persistent concerns that the ongoing Israel-Hamas war could engulf the wider region. It was conducted.
“The number of tourists this year reached 100 million, 77 million from within the country and 27 million from abroad, exceeding 100 million,” Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said at a conference organized by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. ”, explaining the figures for 2023.
He said authorities are now aiming to increase the number of tourists from the original target of 100 million to 150 million by 2030, of which 70 million will be from abroad, exceeding the original target. It is said that there are over 30 million people.
Tourism is a key element of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform agenda to help the world's largest oil exporter transition away from fossil fuels and ultimately prepare for a post-oil future. The purpose is to
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Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, has long welcomed pilgrims and business travelers, but only began offering general tourist visas in 2019, amid the coronavirus pandemic. This was just months before it devastated the industry globally.
Saudi Arabia has eased rules banning movie theaters, mixed-gender concerts and sports festivals in recent years, but other restrictions, such as a ban on alcohol, remain in place and could undermine its appeal.
New resorts on the Red Sea coast are expected to be a big draw, but recent attacks on Red Sea shipping by neighboring Yemen's Houthi rebels have reignited security concerns in the region.
The Houthis, who have been at war with the Saudi-led military coalition since 2015, say their attacks are an act of solidarity with the Palestinians and a protest against the Israeli-Hamas war that has raged in the Gaza Strip since October. It is claimed that there is.
Source: AFP
