The Riyadh Travel Fair, which concluded on May 29, brought together top tourism companies from Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and other countries to showcase their destinations to the Saudi market.
The event, held at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, attracted 250 exhibitors from 23 countries, including 13 tourism boards.
New exhibitors included Georgia, South Korea, Egypt, Russia, and cities like Almaty, Sarajevo, and St. Petersburg.
Georgia's tourism promotion office, represented by Rusudan Kokoladze, participated for the first time, aiming to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia and increase the number of Saudi tourists to Georgia.
Elene Gogelia, from Georgia's Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, mentioned that Batumi, with its UNESCO sites, national parks, and easy access via a direct flight, is a popular tourist destination.
Before the
COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia received 10,000 visitors annually from Saudi Arabia, but in the first quarter of 2024, they have already welcomed 6,000 Saudi travelers, marking a 28% increase.
Saudi tourists are drawn to both the Black Sea coast resorts and winter ski resorts.
Mohamed El-Sherbeiny, representing Egypt's International Tourism Office, expressed excitement about Saudi Arabia being Egypt's third-biggest market.
Last year, Egypt received nearly 1 million tourists from Saudi Arabia.
The goal is to increase this number by 20% this year, as Saudi travelers show interest in exploring Egypt's northern coast during the summer.
Riyadh serves as a hub for tourists, and Egypt's participation in the Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF) is significant.
Bosnia and Herzegovina also expects more Saudi visitors due to resolved visa issues.
Saudi Arabia is an essential market for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Turkiye tourism and travel groups welcomed a large delegation of hospitality partners at the RTF.
A group of Turkish actors, including Emre Bey (Orhan), Cagri Sensoy (Cerkutay), Ecem Sena Bayir (Holofira), and Hakan Serim (Gunkut Alp), attended a travel fair in Saudi Arabia to promote their work and interact with fans.
The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation also participated in the event, showcasing the Maldives as a top travel destination with nine companies present.