Statistics and various reports indicate that the Kingdom is targeting approximately 70 million tourist visits in 2022, an increase of 8 million visits from last year, when the total was 62 million, placing an additional burden on the events and festivals organized to develop and promote domestic tourism—which has begun to bear fruit, as we witness tremendous growth and leaps during the various seasons held in the Kingdom, numbering 11 across the country, including Riyadh, Jeddah, the Eastern Province, and Taif.
This success and excellence did not come about by chance or through short-term planning; but rather the result of hard work, thoughtful planning, and the exchange of ideas and experiences that have supported cumulative efforts to develop the sector—from organizational and administrative aspects all the way to the establishment of a standalone Ministry of Tourism with a strategy that works hand in hand with other relevant agencies,, particularly the General Entertainment Authority. This deliberate focus by the leadership has made the Kingdom a beacon attracting investments from all over the world, to the point where it has become the most important economic destination in the Middle East, drawing vital capital. In 2021, it ranked first with projects valued at $9.3 billion. This significant growth in the sector’s economy has raised tourism’s contribution to GDP to 41.81 billion riyals in 2020, while the contribution from distinctive tourism activities reached approximately 27.8 billion riyals, This is in addition to the mega-projects announced in recent years, such as Al-Qiddiya, Historic Dir’iya, NEOM, and other projects expected to shift the global tourism compass toward the Kingdom, which is poised to welcome every new development in the world of entertainment.
This boom will be reflected in the coming years in the targeted cities, requiring the real estate sector to meet the needs of tourism development, by upgrading and renovating existing hotel facilities and working to increase their number, with specifications that meet the sector’s aspirations. This is in addition to shopping centers and malls, as well as designating hospitals to care for visitors’ health under the umbrella of medical tourism, thereby completing the Kingdom’s tourism ecosystem.
