HN EXCLUSIVE: MUZZAMMIL AHUSSAIN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SEERA GROUP

The world is eager to reignite travel and tourism post-pandemic, and the region is no different. HN spoke with Muzzammil Ahussain, executive vice president of Saudi Seera Group, the new name for Al Tayyar Travel Group, one of the largest travel and tourism groups in the MENA region, to highlight the upcoming travel trends.

How is Vision 2030 boosting travel and tourism in KSA?

With the focus of Saudi Vision 2030 to unlock the true potential of the kingdom’s tourism industry by promoting inbound, domestic and outbound travel services, Saudi Arabia is set to be one of the world’s leading tourism destinations. Our strategy is to entice first-time visitors to discover Saudi and to continue to welcome repeat travelers. The goal of Saudi Vision is to welcome 100 million annual overnight visitors and increase tourism share of GDP to 10 percent by 2030. While the pandemic impacted the tourism sector globally last year, we see strong shoots of revival, especially in terms of domestic tourism. We are confident that with the diverse array of developmental initiatives in the kingdom, we will achieve the goals set by the Vision 2030 strategy for the tourism sector.

How do you think Expo 2020 will impact tourism in the MENA in general and in Saudi Arabia?

Expo 2020 is likely to draw significant crowds to the UAE and the Middle East region in general. The event is expected to be a catalyst for tourism. The region will witness higher numbers of first-time visitors, and long-haul travelers will be encouraged to break up their journeys with visits to other destinations nearby. We are currently building dedicated packages, creating a Saudi Arabian experience around Expo 2020.

Through our conversations with customers, we have seen a rise in demand and interest in clients visiting Expo to continue their journey in the region by exploring parts of Saudi Arabia, such as Al-ula. seera.sa

Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com