Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Oct 27, 2025

Saudi Arabia's Tourism Soars with 17.5 Million Visitors in 2024 Amid Vision 2030 Initiatives

Saudi Arabia's tourism soars with a 656% increase since 2019, bolstered by Vision 2030 initiatives and new cultural exchanges.
Saudi Arabia's tourism sector is booming, with 17.5 million international visitors in 2024 - a remarkable 656% increase since 2019, thanks to Vision 2030 initiatives like the Diriyah Gate project and luxury Red Sea resorts. This surge positions the Kingdom as a top global destination aiming for 100 million tourists annually by 2030.

In line with this trend, Dubai will host the Future Hospitality Summit World 2024 at Madinat Jumeirah from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, where over 1,500 industry leaders will discuss sustainability, innovation, and technology in hospitality. This event will cover crucial topics like ESG compliance, decarbonization, AI, and branded residences.

Echoing Saudi Arabia's impressive tourism figures, the country saw a 656% spike in leisure tourism in the first seven months of 2024, achieving Vision 2030 goals early. The Kingdom drew 17.5 million tourists, a 10% rise over the previous year and 73% more than in 2019, solidifying its rapid transformation into a premier travel hub.

Meanwhile, Google Cloud's launch in Saudi Arabia signifies a stride forward in digital transformation, teaming up with BMC Helix to enhance service management through AI and automation. This collaboration is set to boost efficiency and innovation for Saudi businesses, keeping them competitive in the digital era.

Cultural exchange is also flourishing, with Saudi authors gaining global attention at the Riyadh International Book Fair. Notable works include Fatemah Abdullah Al-Qahtani's "Creativity and Conservatism," Halah Alshathri’s "Values of Mastery," and Leen Al-Tamimi’s children's book "The Farmer with a Heart of Gold," highlighting diverse aspects of Saudi identity and values.

Finally, cultural heritage will shine at the Ancient Kingdoms Festival in AlUla from Nov. 7 to 30, offering immersive experiences at sites like Hegra and Wadi Al-Naam. Highlights include the "Incense Road Experience" and the "Hegra After Dark" theatrical journey, with more details available on experiencealula.com.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Syria Holds First Elections Since Fall of Assad
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
×