Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia led the G20 countries in the indicators of the growth rate of the number of international tourists and the growth rate of international tourism revenues during the first seven months of 2024, compared to the same period of 2019.
According to the UN Tourism Barometer report, which was issued at the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Brazil, the Kingdom registered a 73% increase in the number of international tourists and a 207% rise in international tourism revenues from January to July.
Several tourist destinations in the Kingdom saw a remarkable increase in the number of international tourists with 17.5 million tourists during the first seven months of 2024.
In 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed 27.4 million international tourists, marking a 56% increase compared to 2019, while travel receipts recorded a historical surplus of SAR 48 billion, with an annual increase of 38%.
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb stated that this achievement reinforces Saudi Arabia’s leading position as a global tourism hub and reflects confidence in the Kingdom’s diverse and attractive tourism offerings.
Al-Khateeb headed the Saudi delegation to the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting that took place on 20 September. During his speech, the minister affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing cultural connections between people worldwide by consolidating sustainable growth in the tourism sector.