Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib said that he expects the tourism sector to become a key driver of the Kingdom’s economy, to contribute about 10% of the gross domestic product and create 1.6 million jobs by 2030.
The continued growth in the sector led to revising the Kingdom’s goals and raising them to about 150 million visitors by 2030, including more than 70 million international tourists, he added, during his speech at the Future Aviation Forum held in Riyadh.
The Minister also confirmed plans to double the number of pilgrims and Umrah performers by 2030.
He indicated that the government has adopted several initiatives to facilitate access to the Kingdom, as the electronic visa enables travelers from 66 countries, representing 80% of the global tourism market, to come to the Kingdom.
The Kingdom is leading major efforts to improve local tourism and spur regional tourism through cooperation with the GCC countries, as the unified visa in the region allows travelers to enjoy about 30 days in the Gulf countries, Al-Khatib stated.
He also pointed out that the Kingdom launched 28 air routes linking Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam to new destinations across the continents in the past two years, indicating that these routes not only provide new travel options, but also provide opportunities to improve bilateral relations, have access to companies, facilitate dialogue, and achieve cultural exchange.
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