Saudi Hits Record Tourist Arrivals, Needs Faster Pace to Reach 70 Million Target

The Saudi Minister of Tourism said Wednesday that the kingdom had 30 million international arrivals in 2024, a new record for the country. And it was a significant increase from when Saudi Arabia opened for international tourism in 2019 with just over 17.5 million visitors.

However, the growth in 2024, at 9.4%, was slower than in previous years. In 2023, arrivals surged 65% to 27.42 million. To hit its goal of 70 million international visitors by 2030, Saudi needs an average annual increase of approximately 6.6 million visitors, or 14.69% per year.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb acknowledged challenges but expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia’s progress and reiterated the kingdom's goals. "We are making mistakes, but we are learning fast. Every day, we adapt and improve," he said during a panel at Davos on Wednesday. "We are seeing the numbers: We received 30 million international arrivals last year—a record. By 2030, we aim to reach 70 million visitors, making Saudi Arabia one of the top seven most visited countries."

"We came late to