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The Ministry of Tourism announced, in conjunction with World Tourism Day, that during the period from January to the end of July of this year 2024, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia received 17.5 million tourists from abroad, an estimated increase of 10% compared to the same period last year 2023, and an increase of 73% compared to the same period in 2019.

The ministry explained that the number of tourists arriving from abroad for entertainment and holidays during the first seven months of this year amounted to 4.2 million tourists from abroad, with an estimated growth rate of 25% compared to the same period last year 2023, and an estimated growth rate of 656% compared to the same period in 2019.

The jumps witnessed by the tourism sector in the kingdom demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the strategies and plans approved by the kingdom to build a sustainable tourism sector in accordance with the kingdom's Vision 2030, as the Kingdom achieved the target of reaching 100 million tourists during the past year 2023 seven years ahead of schedule.

The kingdom has succeeded in strengthening its position as a global tourist destination, as it topped the United Nations list in the growth rate of the number of international tourists during the past year 2023, topping the list of the group of twenty countries in the two indicators of the growth rate of the number of international tourists and the growth rate of international tourism revenues, according to the latest report issued by the United Nations Tourism "World Tourism Barometer Report for the month of September 2024".