Tourism & Culture
From The Report: Saudi Arabia 2025
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The tourism sector in Saudi Arabia has undergone a significant transformation since the launch of the government’s Vision 2030 national development strategy. Updated policies and higher investment in tourist infrastructure have driven the increase in visitor numbers. Meanwhile, the diversification of the tourism sector through the development of strong business, resort and sports tourism offerings, has helped to attract new market entrants to the Kingdom. The industry will likely continue to grow with the opening of various new luxury resorts and the hosting of several major sporting events in the next decade. The tourism sector has expanded at a significant rate since the launch of the Vision 2030 development strategy. The creation of a national tourism law and regulatory frameworks has provided the Ministry of Tourism and other government agencies with a clear roadmap to develop the sector.

This chapter contains interviews with Majed Abdulmohsen Al Hugail, CEO, Cultural Development Fund and Abdulaziz Musaed AlSulaim, Group CEO, Cultural Assets Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Market development: Increasing visitor demand and expanding hospitality capacity support sector growth in the Kingdom
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The tourism sector in Saudi Arabia has undergone a significant transformation since the launch of the government’s Vision 2030 national development strategy. Updated policies and higher investment in tourist infrastructure have driven the increase in visitor numbers. Meanwhile, the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector through the development of strong business, resort and sports tourism offerings, has helped to attract new market entrants to the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry will likely continue to grow with the opening of various new luxury resorts and the hosting of several major sporting events in the next decade. Structure…

Analysis

Industry dynamics: Regulatory alignment and infrastructure investment underpin sectoral growth, contributing to diversification efforts
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The government positioned tourism as a priority sector in Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s long-term development roadmap, aimed at driving economic diversification and reducing the national reliance on fossil fuel revenue. Cross-government support for the National Tourism Strategy (NTS) and associated legislation has helped accelerate sectoral expansion. Meanwhile, the promotion of Saudi Arabia to a diverse segment of people, through the development of religious, resort and sports tourism, among other sectors, has helped rapidly drive up annual visitor numbers in recent years, with a target of 150m total visitors per year by 2030. The year 2022 saw…

Interview

A genuine experience: Majed Abdulmohsen Al Hugail, CEO, Cultural Development Fund, on efforts to boost investment while maintaining authenticity
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Interview:Majed Abdulmohsen Al Hugail, CEO, Cultural Development Fund, on efforts to boost investment while maintaining authenticity How can financing in cultural and creative industries be structured to ensure commercial sustainability while preserving authenticity? MAJED ABDULMOHSEN AL HUGAIL: Investment in cultural sites works best when guided by a heritage-first framework. Conservation rules, design standards and visitor limits should be defined before commercial development, giving investors…

Analysis

Unified horizons: Integration among GCC countries reshapes the travel ecosystem
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The travel and tourism sector contributed $247.1bn to GCC countries’ GDP in 2024, heralding a shift within the region from a phase of post-pandemic recovery to one of global leadership. This figure represents a 31.9% increase over 2019 levels, underscoring the success of large-scale diversification strategies across the bloc. The sector is on a trajectory to contribute an estimated $371.2bn to the economy by 2034, which would account for around 13.3% of regional GDP. This expansion is expected to be a catalyst for employment, supporting the creation of 1.3m jobs between 2025 and 2034 and bringing the sectoral workforce to 6.1m people. The sustained…

Analysis

A new phase: Emerging destinations leverage technology and policy reform to enhance competitiveness and visibility
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As emerging markets expand their tourism offerings and diversify visitor source markets, the sector is increasingly shaped by digitalisation, sustainability and long-term resilience planning. Governments and private operators are leveraging technology to improve visitor experiences, manage capacity and align tourism development with emissions-reduction targets, reflecting a shift towards value-driven and sustainable growth. Global travel demand has largely normalised following the Covid-19 pandemic disruption, with several regions recording sustained momentum above pre-2020 benchmarks. Destinations in the Middle East and the Caribbean have been…

Interview

Broader impact: Abdulaziz Musaed AlSulaim, Group CEO, Cultural Assets Group, on the importance of local cooperation towards boosting growth
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Interview: Abdulaziz Musaed AlSulaim, Group CEO, Cultural Assets Group, on the importance of local cooperation towards boosting growth In what ways can the tourism and culture ecosystem evolve to expand the sector’s GDP contribution? ABDULAZIZ MUSAED ALSULAIM: To reach a sustainable 10% contribution to GDP, tourism growth needs to be more deeply anchored in cultural and creative content rather than driven only by volume or infrastructure. What has become clear is that culture is no longer a supporting…