Performance of Saudi tourism industry during the first quarter of 2023 was termed as unprecedented and historical by Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb

The success of the Saudi tourism industry during the first quarter of 2023 was termed as unprecedented and historical in terms of the number of tourists and quantity of tourism spending by Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb.

According to him, "more than six million pilgrims have performed Umrah during the current season, and the percentage of incoming tourists for the purpose of entertainment and holidays shot up 581 percent in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, thanks to the simplified electronic visa procedures and remarkable growth in facilities and services in the Kingdom's tourist destinations."

During his monthly meeting with investors in the Saudi tourist industry, the minister made the comments. The chief executive officer of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Fahd Hamidaddin, was joined at the virtual meeting by a sizable group of stakeholders and investors from various parts of the Kingdom.

Al-Khateeb highlighted that the ministry would never compromise on the three matters of excellent quality, adherence to the requirements for the practise of the activity, and Saudized employment in the tourist industry, which are at the heart of its work.

The minister emphasised that the Kingdom's tourist industry had produced extraordinary and unheard-of results during the holy month of Ramadan. More than 6 million Umrah pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and other countries have travelled there, and Makkah and Madinah's hotel occupancy rates reached historic highs.

Al-Khateeb noted that the number of tourists from the Middle East and the Gulf region increased by 107% in comparison to 2019, while the number of visitors from East Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia, increased by 49% and those from Europe, particularly Turkey, France, Russia, Italy, and Germany, increased by 50%.

Regarding the number of visitors from outside the Kingdom, the minister stated that Makkah came out on top with 4.4 million visitors, while Riyadh came in second as a result of an increase in both visitors with tourist visas and those travelling to see family and friends. The total number of visitors to Dammam and Al-Khobar increased by 96% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2019, which was primarily due to an increase in visitors and tourists from Bahrain and Qatar travelling for leisure and to see family and friends.

During the first quarter of 2023, there was a noticeable increase in the number of tourists travelling to Jeddah for entertainment and to see family and friends, growing by 247 percent. Al-Ahsa, however, saw the highest growth rate during that time, increasing by 419 percent due to the return of tourists from Qatar and the rise in tourists from other Gulf nations.