KSA sees 156% visitor growth in 4 yrs
Saudi Arabia has accomplished an extraordinary achievement in tourism, achieving a full recovery and recording a 156% growth in international arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019.
This achievement has not only contributed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA’s) economic growth but also positioned it as a key driver in the Middle East’s tourism recovery, highlights in the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Barometer report released in January 2024. The Middle East region, led by Saudi Arabia, is the only one to exceed prepandemic tourism levels, with a 22% growth in 2023 compared to 2019, it says.
Globally, the tourism sector is steadily rebounding. By the end of 2023 the global average achieved 12 per cent below prepandemic levels in international arrivals, with about 1.3 billion international arrivals. The sector’s international revenues neared $1.3 trillion, reaching 93 per cent of the 2019 figure of $1.5 trillion. The direct contribution
of tourism to the global GDP was estimated at 3 per cent, or $3.3 trillion, in 2023, based on the UNWTO’s preliminary indicators. Looking ahead, the UNWTO forecasts a complete recovery of global tourism from the pandemic by 2024, with an expected growth of 2 per cent compared to 2019. Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector stands out in the UNWTO reports, leading the G20 nations in the growth rate of international arrivals in 2023 and ranked 2nd as the world’s fastest-growing tourist destination for Q1-Q3 2023. The Kingdom has seen remarkable growth in various tourist destinations, achieving a record in international visitor spending. The first three quarters of 2023 recorded an international visitor spending exceeding 100 billion Saudi riyals, according to the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA).