The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) congratulates Saudi Arabia for welcoming over 100 million tourists, achieving a milestone seven years ahead of its original schedule, signaling the Kingdom's innovative leadership and commitment to transforming the global travel and tourism sector.

This historic achievement, marked by the arrival of over 27 million international tourists and more than 79 million domestic tourists, reflects not only Saudi Arabia's effective strategy for economic diversification but also its steadfast commitment to promoting sustainable tourism development.

Saudi Arabia's achievement ahead of schedule underscores the success of its proactive strategy initiated in 2019 to cultivate a vibrant tourism ecosystem. Achieving this milestone in 2023, ahead of schedule, exemplifies the Kingdom's ability to surpass its visionary goals.

In 2023, Saudi Arabia experienced a 390% increase in tourism activity license applications, indicating the sector's robust growth and the effectiveness of the country's strategic initiatives. Additionally, the growing contribution of the Travel & Tourism sector to Saudi Arabia's non-oil GDP, estimated to exceed 7% and over $37 billion in inbound tourism spending, highlights the significant economic impact of these efforts.

WTTC firsthand recognized Saudi Arabia's significant tourism achievements at its annual Global Summit. Hosted in Saudi Arabia, this flagship event showcased the Kingdom's ability to facilitate meaningful global dialogues, demonstrating its readiness to lead discussions on the future trajectory of the travel and tourism sector.

Through strategic reforms, Saudi Arabia has laid a solid foundation for a thriving tourism infrastructure, enhancing the Kingdom's appeal as a premier global tourism destination.

Key among these reforms is the restructuring of tourism licensing fees, now tailored to meet investors' specific needs and operations, ensuring a more flexible and supportive regulatory environment.

The Kingdom has also taken significant steps to ease the financial burden on the travel and tourism sector by reducing annual government fees by nearly 22%, with a commitment to further reductions of up to 70%. These initiatives are integral to Saudi Arabia's broader economic diversification strategy, aiming to position the Kingdom at the forefront of global tourism and investment.

The Kingdom's strategic emphasis on tourism has significantly contributed to job creation, with the global tourism body estimating that the sector employed over two million people last year. This achievement aligns with Saudi Arabia's goal of making tourism a leading employment sector by 2030.

As Saudi Arabia continues to expand its tourism infrastructure and implement strategic reforms, the global Travel & Tourism community looks forward to witnessing the Kingdom's journey towards becoming a global powerhouse.

WTTC is committed to supporting Saudi Arabia's ambitions, fostering sustainable development, and contributing to the global recovery and prosperity of the sector.