Saudi Arabia leads investments in tourism sector: Al-Khateeb

Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism

Saudi Arabia is the largest investor in the tourism sector, driven by the development of mega projects such as NEOM, the Red Sea, Diriyah, Qiddiya, and King Salman Park, among others across the Kingdom, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said.

In an interview with Asharq on the sidelines of the 26th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly held in Riyadh, Al-Khateeb noted that the Kingdom recorded 11 million tourists in 2019, rising to 29.7 million international tourists in 2024, 46% of whom came for Hajj, while the rest visited for holidays, leisure, and business purposes.

The minister emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is witnessing remarkable growth and is considered one of the key pillars of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.