Riyadh | BETH

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism said the tourism sector currently accounts for around 5% of the Kingdom’s economy, with plans underway to double its contribution to 10% by 2030 as part of the country’s economic diversification drive.

He noted that the national tourism strategy focuses on expanding destination capacity, stimulating private sector investment in hospitality and leisure projects, and developing supporting transport and services infrastructure. The strategy also aims to diversify tourism offerings across cultural, natural, leisure, and major events segments.

The minister added that sector growth is linked to programs designed to develop national talent in tourism and hospitality, enhance the visitor experience through digital transformation of services, and expand air and sea connectivity with target markets—boosting Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness as a global tourism destination.

Additional Information

Economic Impact: Raising tourism’s contribution to GDP and diversifying non-oil revenue streams.

Private Investment: Expanding partnerships with investors in hospitality, resorts, and integrated destinations.

Jobs: Creating employment opportunities across tourism value chains (hospitality, transport, guiding, events).

Global Competitiveness: Improving access, air connectivity, and international destination marketing.

BETH Comment

Doubling tourism’s contribution to 10% of GDP by 2030 marks a strategic shift from tourism as a supporting sector to a core economic growth engine. Success will depend not only on increasing visitor numbers, but on maximizing spend per visitor, quality of experience, and geographically balanced returns. The next challenge lies in building differentiated, high–value tourism products while aligning growth with environmental and cultural sustainability to ensure long-term impact.