Riyadh -: The sessions of the first edition of the “Saudi Tourism Fair”, hosted by the city of Riyadh under the slogan “Your Gateway to Tourism”, began on Tuesday, during the period (14-16) of this March at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, with the participation of 350 participating parties. Specialized in the fields of travel and tourism.
In the first session, entitled “Saudi Tourism Between Yesterday and Today,” the head of domestic tourism at the Saudi Tourism Authority, Muhammad Basrawi, confirmed that what the tourism sector is witnessing today in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is stable and ambitious.
Basrawi reviewed the internal Saudi tourism journey, which, according to figures, is witnessing tremendous developments during the previous years. According to preliminary estimates, the sector witnessed a growth in spending that exceeded 90 billion riyals, 47% more than in 2019, stressing that the tourism sector in the Kingdom is the fastest growing in the world, based on that. The Kingdom recorded more than 75 million local visits during the past year 2022, 57% more than in 2019
The internal Saudi tourism developed, through which the citizen and the resident shook hands with the warmth of the Saudi society, the aspirations of youth, and the aspirations of entrepreneurs and investors, to get to know more about our dear homeland through the window of cultural heritage, authentic history, and natural treasures in the Kingdom.
Basrawi explained that Saudi domestic tourism has witnessed a quantum leap during the past three years, represented in 4 basic principles: innovation, sustainability, inclusiveness, and cooperation, explaining, “With all ability and innovation, achievements have been made, and we look forward to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia becoming a global tourist destination for every citizen and resident in order to welcome and celebrate tourists from all walks of life.” around the world
The Saudi Tourism Fair comes with the organization of the 4M event group and witnesses the holding of 14 discussion sessions during its three days, and several specialized workshops aimed at improving understanding and developing knowledge of the tourism field, presented by a number of keynote speakers and decision makers on the latest trends in Saudi tourism.