Saudi Arabia achieved second place in the world in the increase in the number of tourists, after the kingdom received about 7.8 million international tourists during the first quarter of 2023, and 16.6 million tourists in 2022.
The Barometer report for the month of May 2023, published by the World Tourism Organisation yesterday, showed that Saudi Arabia has made a big leap advancing 12 degrees and reaching the 13th place in 2022, compared to the 25th place in 2019.
The report indicated that Saudi Arabia has advanced 16 places in the international tourism revenue index, reaching 11th place in 2022, compared to the 27th place in 2019.
Saudi Arabia, the report found, saw a 64 per cent growth in tourism during the first quarter of 2023, to achieve the second position among the list of the most developed countries in the world during that period.
Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khatib, affirmed that this achievement is “the culmination of the leadership’s directives to strive to strengthen the kingdom’s position on the global tourism map, and raise its contribution to the gross domestic product in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
He stressed that the ministry will continue its efforts in cooperation with all partners from the public and private sectors in order to move forward in achieving the aspirations of the leadership to make Saudi a global tourism destination.
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