The great development that has taken place in the tourism sector and the enactment of laws and regulations governing it have made those in charge optimistic that the sector will play a leading role in enhancing and diversifying the sources of the local economy, as the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage expected the sector's expenditures in the Kingdom to reach 53.7 billion riyals for local and expatriate tourists, against 24.1 billion riyals for Saudi tourism leaving abroad in 2016.
53.7 billion riyals for domestic tourism
53.7 billion riyals of domestic tourism revenue
In 2016, the authority expects 15.5 million domestic tourists to enjoy the Kingdom's leisure and recreational facilities, spending 15.30 billion riyals, while 7.50 million tourists from abroad are expected to spend 38.4 billion riyals, bringing the sector's expected revenues to 53.7 billion riyals. On the other hand, 6.8 million Saudi tourists are expected to leave abroad with a budget of 24.1 billion riyals.
The growth of inbound tourism, which was 29.9 billion riyals in 2015, is expected to increase by 13% to 38.4 billion riyals in 2016.
Stimulating domestic tourism The tourism sector works to revitalize the domestic tourism movement, especially in the periods of holidays and events, in order to benefit from the expenditures of tourists and save the state resources that would have found their way to foreign tourism, so we find it represents a major source of income for the sector in the Kingdom; the number of domestic tourists reached about 15.4 million tourists in 2015 and grows annually by 1 to 3 %. The tourism sector works to revitalize the domestic tourism movement, especially during holidays and events.
Outbound tourism, which reaches about 6.4 million Saudi tourists annually (according to 2015 statistics). It is growing at higher and faster rates than domestic tourism; the growth rate of outbound tourism reaches 22 %, and the growth of outbound tourism gives positive indications about the income reality of the Saudi citizen, as well as other more important indications about the living and life reality, according to the expectations of the MAS Center of the General Authority for Tourism by 22 %, against expectations that inbound tourism will grow by 5.6 % next year. 77.8 billion riyals economies of the sector It is clear from the above-mentioned statistics that the expenditures of the tourism sector amounted to 77.8 billion riyals during 2016, of which 24.1 billion riyals were spent on outbound tourism, compared to 15.3 billion riyals spent on local tourism, and about 38.4 billion riyals on inbound tourism. Thus, tourism is a new developmental gateway that needs to be nurtured and developed. Although the number of incoming tourists to the Kingdom did not exceed 7.5 million, their expenditures are very high, and amounted on average to about 5120 riyals per person, compared to about 3020 riyals in outbound tourism, and about 987 riyals for local tourism.
