Saudi Arabia Taps AI and Immersive Tech to Drive Tourism Growth
The Kingdom is integrating advanced digital technologies across its tourism sector, aiming to redefine visitor experiences and support economic diversification.
Saudi Arabia is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to transform its tourism industry.
These technologies are being integrated into flagship projects like Neom and the Red Sea Project, which are positioning the Kingdom as a global tourism hub.
The adoption of smart technologies comes as the tourism sector recovers from the pandemic and is projected to reach $11.7 trillion in economic contribution by 2025.
As part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to increase its annual visitors to 150 million by 2030 and raise the tourism sector's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) from 3 percent to 10 percent.
Smart technologies are being utilized for personalized trip planning, biometric systems for streamlined travel and immigration processes, IoT-enabled controls in accommodations, and AR/VR for immersive storytelling at cultural sites.
These technologies enable better management of growth, enhancement of quality, and differentiation of the visitor experience.
While there are challenges such as localization gaps and delays in full deployment of tech infrastructure, experts believe that smart tourism can become a well-integrated part of Saudi Arabia's tourism strategy with the right coordination and policy framework.
These technologies are being integrated into flagship projects like Neom and the Red Sea Project, which are positioning the Kingdom as a global tourism hub.
The adoption of smart technologies comes as the tourism sector recovers from the pandemic and is projected to reach $11.7 trillion in economic contribution by 2025.
As part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to increase its annual visitors to 150 million by 2030 and raise the tourism sector's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) from 3 percent to 10 percent.
Smart technologies are being utilized for personalized trip planning, biometric systems for streamlined travel and immigration processes, IoT-enabled controls in accommodations, and AR/VR for immersive storytelling at cultural sites.
These technologies enable better management of growth, enhancement of quality, and differentiation of the visitor experience.
While there are challenges such as localization gaps and delays in full deployment of tech infrastructure, experts believe that smart tourism can become a well-integrated part of Saudi Arabia's tourism strategy with the right coordination and policy framework.
