Fahd Hamidaddin

Fahd Hamidaddin has been chief of investment, strategy, and tourism marketing officer for the Saudi Ministry of Tourism since early 2019.

Hamidaddin’s role at the ministry is to facilitate opening Saudi Arabia to international tourism through strategic oversight of large-scale marketing and communications campaigns.

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism recently launched the “Saudi Summer” initiative in an effort to resume and promote domestic tourism activities in the Kingdom. During a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Hamidaddin said 81 percent of Saudis are unwilling to travel outside the Kingdom this summer, according to an extensive survey on tourism. The ministry is working to empower local businesses in the industry and help them overcome the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The pandemic has left people feeling stifled. Our role is to turn that feeling into something that could help them relax. People just want to breathe right now,” he said. Previously, Hamidaddin was chief commercial officer at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) beginning in 2012. His responsibilities included the company’s marketing, corporate communications, and sustainable development groups. He also led the city’s customer experience, investment promotions, and activation, and strengthened KAEC’s strategic partnership with key media outlets to help promote it as a residential and business destination. Hamidaddin was chief of marketing and competitiveness initiatives at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) between 2005 and 2012. He was responsible for SAGIA’s marketing strategy and received several international awards for advertising campaigns.

Hamidaddin also led the Global Competitiveness Forum, founded by SAGIA, for five years.

Its goal is to raise the competitiveness of the Kingdom and gather global economic, social and intellectual leaders to debate and discuss diverse issues.