Riyadhrevealed the attraction of SAR115bn, during a celebration organized by the SaudiCommission for Tourism and National Heritage, on Friday, in Riyadh in thepresence of tourism makers and international investors.
Theevent, which coincided with World Tourism Day, was attended byinternational tourism makers and investors, in the presence of the President ofthe World Tourism Organization President, Zurab Polo Kashifeli and thePresident of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), GloriaGuevara.
AhmadAl-Khatib, Chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and NationalHeritage, said that since the launch of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, we havestarted to work hard to become a global tourism destination, coinciding withthe launch of major tourism projects and the adoption of incentive regulationsfor investment in the tourism sector, including the adoption of the nationaltourism strategy.
Al-Khatibadded: "Tonight, we are not to open our doors to visitors only, but we alsowelcome investors where there are great opportunities available for investmentin the fields of tourism, and thus achieve the goals of the Kingdom's vision2030".
Al-Khatib said that the Kingdom at this historic moment opens its doors to the world to witness the hospitality, generosity, beauty of nature, and civilization of Saudi Arabia.
"Saudi Arabia has attracted SAE115bn so far, which confirms the world's confidence in the strength of the Saudi market and its promising opportunities," Al-Khatib said.
Al-Khatib explained that since the launch of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, we have started to work hard to become a global tourist destination, coinciding with the launch of major tourism projects and the adoption of incentive regulations for investment in the tourism sector, including the Cabinet's approval of the general strategy for the development of national tourism.
Al-Khatibcontinued that the sites registered in the World Heritage List represent someof the Kingdom's rich cultural heritage and stunning tourist sites, pointingout that there are more than 10,000 historical sites represent promisinginvestment opportunities.
Afteropening the Kingdom to tourists, it is now possible for all countries to obtaina tourist visa. In the first phase, citizens of 49 countries will be able toobtain an electronic visa through the website or upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Accordingto the National Tourism Strategy, the Kingdom will receive 100 million visitsper year by 2030, compared to around 41 million at present.
By 2030,the Kingdom will be one of the top five countries receiving tourists in theworld, with revenues of up to 10% instead of the current 3% of gross nationalincome, while the number of jobs in the sector will reach 1,600,000 jobs,compared to 600,000 jobs currently.
