Doha, February 19, 2024, The Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, participated in the eighth meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism ministers held in Doha, where discussions centered around enhancing collaboration for the implementation of a unified tourist visa for GCC countries.
During his speech, Al-Khateeb praised the historic step taken by the GCC Supreme Council in approving the unified GCC tourist visa initiative. He emphasized that this initiative reflects the commitment of GCC countries to strengthen tourism cooperation and would significantly enhance the Gulf states' global standing as a distinguished tourist destination.
The minister highlighted the progress in activating the Gulf Tourism Strategy and stressed the importance of continuing efforts to implement the agreed-upon initiatives and programs within the strategy. Al-Khateeb provided insights into Saudi Arabia's plans, stating that the Kingdom is set to invest $800 billion in various cities and major tourist destinations over the next decade. Recognizing tourism as a prominent economic sector contributing to Saudi Vision 2030, he aims to welcome 27 million international visitors by 2030.
Al-Khateeb shared that during the first three quarters of 2023, visitors to the Kingdom spent SAR 100 billion. The Kingdom led among the Group of Twenty (G20) countries and ranked second globally in terms of the growth in the number of international tourists, with a remarkable 56% increase in 2023 compared to 2019.
Looking ahead, the Kingdom aspires to welcome 150 million visitors by 2030, including 80 million domestic tourists and 70 million international tourists. Al-Khateeb emphasized that these investments will not only benefit the Kingdom but also have a positive impact on all GCC countries. He highlighted the need to increase the percentage contribution of the travel and tourism sector to the GDP in GCC countries from the current 7.8% to 10%.
The minister stressed the importance of joint tourism efforts in the Gulf region, especially in light of upcoming investments in mega tourism projects. He called for the activation of initiatives, programs, and activities that maximize the benefits of attracting international visitors, affirming continuous support to achieve further achievements and successes aspired by the leaders of the GCC countries.
