Saudi Arabia, in a strategic bid to bolster its non-oil economy, has announced ambitious plans to add up to 500,000 hotel rooms across the kingdom, revealed Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmad Al Khatib.
One of the noteworthy areas earmarked for this expansion is the high-tech megaproject, Neom. “We’re not just banking on government initiatives. The private sector too will significantly contribute to this growth in accommodation,” emphasized Al Khatib.
Speaking at the World Tourism Day conference in Riyadh, Al Khatib highlighted that the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia has already facilitated 200,000 job opportunities over the last four years. The vision for the next decade is to create 800,000 additional roles. “Our immediate goal is to generate 1 million jobs within the next 10 years,” he added.
This announcement came as Saudi Arabia proudly hosted World Tourism Day 2023, themed “Tourism Green and Investments,” witnessing participation from over 500 global officials and industry experts from around 120 countries.
Saudi Arabia’s target is to welcome 25 million international tourists this year alone. The kingdom’s proactive approach includes innovative measures such as on-arrival tourist visas for various nationalities, electronic business visit visas for potential investors, and eased facilities for Muslims aiming for the Umrah pilgrimage.
With Saudi Arabia introducing such significant enhancements for global visitors, it becomes indispensable for the hospitality sector to match this growth and ensure exceptional experiences for every traveler. In this dynamic environment, BM Events emerges as a linchpin, offering top-notch hospitality staffing solutions, ensuring the seamless execution of events and top-tier services across the industry.
