Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khatib said that Saudi Arabia will compete with 100 global tourist destinations once the Red Sea projects, noting that things are moving in the right direction thanks to the government’s efforts and the private sector partnership.

During his meeting with investors and business owners at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce, he highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in enhancing performance in the tourism sector and increasing its contribution to the economy, especially in light of clear legislation that he expects to be implemented within a genuine partnership framework.

The Minister of Tourism explained that there is ongoing communication with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to facilitate access for pilgrims, noting that the transit visa will benefit a large number of Muslims by allowing them to perform Umrah and visit for four days, as there is significant collaboration between the two ministries to develop Umrah services.

He noted that since the launch of Tourism Strategy, numerous projects have been established to help provide services, along with a tourism system and regulations that enable the private sector to operate within a clear framework and under transparent procedures.

Al-Khatib added that transparency has been upheld in all procedures, and that the air connectivity program—on which the government spent more than 30 million riyals last year—has linked cities directly to Jeddah and Riyadh, with more than 22 destinations now conveniently accessible via direct flights.