What the Kingdom has built under Vision 2030 is not a conventional tourism expansion, nor a promotional exercise dressed in the language of reform. It is something far more consequential: the deliberate construction of a new economic pillar, designed to generate growth, influence, confidence and global relevance at scale.

That distinction matters. Many countries aspire to become tourism powers. Saudi Arabia has chosen to become something more ambitious — a nation that uses tourism as a strategic instrument of transformation.

And the numbers now speak with unusual authority. Saudi Arabia surpassed its original target of 100 million annual tourists seven years ahead of schedule. In 2024 alone, the Kingdom recorded approximately 116 million domestic and inbound tourists, a 6% increase over the previous year, while total tourism spending reached SAR 284 billion. Those figures do not merely suggest momentum. They confirm structural arrival.  

This is why Saudi tourism deserves to be understood not as a sectoral success, but as a national masterstroke.

At the center of that masterstroke stands Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose leadership has given Saudi Arabia one of the clearest transformation narratives of the modern era. Vision 2030 did not simply identify tourism as a growth opportunity. It elevated tourism into a core instrument of national redesign — economically, institutionally and internationally.

That is what visionary leadership looks like in practice: not the announcement of ambition, but the engineering of alignment.

In most countries, tourism evolves gradually, often in fragments. A hotel strategy emerges here, an aviation plan there, a cultural initiative somewhere else. Saudi Arabia has taken a different route. It has aligned tourism with infrastructure, sovereign capital, mobility, investment, quality of life, heritage, entertainment, pilgrimage and destination development within a single strategic architecture. The result is not just growth. It is coherence.

And in economics, coherence is power.

The Kingdom’s National Tourism Strategy makes that power legible. Saudi Arabia is targeting tourism to contribute more than 10% of GDP and create up to 1.6 million jobs by 2030. These are not decorative targets. They indicate that tourism is being treated as a serious engine of national productivity, employment and non-oil expansion. Few countries in the world have positioned tourism with this degree of institutional seriousness.  

The most decisive validation of this approach arrived on 15 April 2026, when the Public Investment Fund Board, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approved PIF’s 2026–2030 strategy. The language of that strategy is telling. Saudi Arabia is moving from the Growth phase of 2021–2025 into what it defines as a Value Realization phase. That is more than a policy update. It is a declaration of maturity. Scale, in other words, is no longer enough. Performance, ecosystem depth and long-term value now define the next chapter.  

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This matters enormously for tourism.

Under the new strategy, PIF organizes its investments through Vision, Strategic and Financial portfolios, with the Vision Portfolio anchored around six competitive domestic ecosystems. Tourism, travel and entertainment is explicitly named as one of them. That single fact says almost everything the market needs to know. Tourism is not adjacent to Saudi Arabia’s future. It is one of the systems through which the future is being built.  

And because this is Saudi Arabia, that strategic designation is backed by financial force.

PIF’s assets under management have risen from $150 billion in 2015 to more than $900 billion. Between 2021 and 2025, the fund invested over $199 billion into new Saudi projects, while contributing more than $243 billion to real non-oil GDP between 2021 and 2024, equivalent to roughly 10% of the Kingdom’s total. In that context, tourism’s formal place inside the value-realization architecture is not symbolic praise. It is a capital-backed priority.  

This is where many outside observers still underestimate Saudi Arabia.

They see destinations, projects, and headlines. What they should be seeing is operating logic.

Saudi Arabia is not simply building hotels, resorts, or attractions. It is building an interconnected visitor economy in which access, spending, infrastructure, experience, and investor confidence reinforce one another. The Kingdom’s expansion of e-visa access to 66 countries is one example. On the surface, it is an administrative reform. In strategic terms, it is friction removal — a critical ingredient in tourism competitiveness.  

The global performance indicators reinforce the point. Saudi Arabia ranked third worldwide in the growth rate of international tourist arrivals in the first eight to nine months of 2024 versus 2019, exceeding 61%. That is not the profile of a market simply participating in recovery. It is the profile of a market outperforming the field.  

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Yet the Kingdom’s greatest advantage may not be its speed, its capital, or even its scale. It may be the consistency of intent behind all three.

For investors, operators, and international stakeholders, continuity is one of the rarest and most valuable assets in any transformation story. Saudi Arabia today offers something that global capital notices immediately: a clear national direction, reinforced by sovereign capability and sustained by leadership conviction. That combination reduces ambiguity. And when ambiguity declines, confidence compounds.

This is why Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s role is so central to the tourism story. His significance is not merely that he endorsed tourism. It is that he repositioned it. He understood earlier than most that tourism could become more than a leisure industry; it could become a platform for economic diversification, global rebranding and long-horizon value creation. Under his leadership, tourism has become one of the clearest expressions of Saudi Arabia’s confidence in its own next chapter.

That is what gives the Saudi model its unusual prestige.

It is modern without being detached from identity. It is globally ambitious without appearing imitative. It is investment-led, yet strategically national in character. Religious tourism remains foundational, but the Kingdom is also broadening its proposition across culture, entertainment, coastal development, urban lifestyle, sports, and premium hospitality. This is not diversification for its own sake. It is portfolio thinking applied to destination-building.

And the next milestone is already in view. Vision 2030 communications now point to an ambition of more than 150 million visitors by 2030. If the present trajectory continues, Saudi Arabia will not simply join the front rank of global tourism markets. It will become one of the clearest modern case studies of how national vision, sovereign capital, and disciplined execution can transform tourism into a pillar of economic statecraft.  

For the world of travel, investment, and destination strategy, the message is now unmistakable.

Saudi Arabia is no longer a market to watch from a distance. It is a market being built with strategic precision, financial depth, and historic confidence. And with tourism now formally embedded within PIF’s value-realization framework, the Kingdom has moved beyond signalling ambition. It is institutionalizing it.

That is why Saudi tourism matters.

Not because it is growing fast.
Not because it is investing heavily.
Not because it is attracting attention.

It matters because Saudi Arabia has understood something many nations still have not: tourism, when led with vision and executed with discipline, is not merely an industry.

It is a statement of national intent.

L’article Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambition is a calculated global play est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, the site of Hajj—the annual pilgrimage that is a mandatory once-in-a-lifetime duty for all financially and physically capable Muslims—does not currently benefit from a direct air link. The city’s surrounding geography and meteorological conditions, including turbulence and visibility issues from mountain thermals, have historically not been considered ideal for airport provision.

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That means most international visitors fly into King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, over 100km away. The connecting overland trip can be made by coach or private transfer, or the Haramain High-Speed Railway, an electric train between Jeddah, Makkah and Medina.

When people arrive in Mecca, they face trips on the 400-strong bus fleet launched in 2022 to ferry people around the city. To date, the bus service has carried more than 185 million passengers, official figures say. However, with so many visitors arriving at once, congestion (and deadly crushes) are notorious. Last year, Saudi Arabia hosted more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims for Hajj, who arrived from abroad through various entry points, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).

To relieve ground transport traffic, the kingdom trialled the use of electric vertical take-off and landing craft (eVTOLs) in 2025, with a view to using the autonomous electric aerial vehicles for emergency and medical transport. Pilotless air taxis are planned for this year.

Makkah International Airport. Following in-depth feasibility studies, the airport will be developed alongside the private sector to ensure world-class standards for residents and visitors while maintaining the economic balance of neighboring regional airports.

— The Holy Mosques (@theholymosques) April 1, 2026

And now, a new way to undertake the holy journey could be coming, according to Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites (RCMC), speaking to Harvard Business Review Arabia. He told the outlet that feasibility studies and initial designs have been completed, and that economic and investment plans have received green lights from relevant authorities. “Work will proceed with the private sector to develop the most suitable model for this investment,” Al-Rasheed said, emphasising that the development would not undermine existing hubs, such as Jeddah, which have received significant investment and been expanded in recent years.

In addition to the proposed airport facility, Al-Rasheed was optimistic about plans for the “Mecca Metro” project, confirming that “feasibility studies and initial designs have been completed and submitted to the relevant authorities to complete the necessary procedures in preparation for launching it in its next phases.”

L’article New Makkah airport could let pilgrims fly directly to Mecca est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The water theme park will be set in a walkable neighbourhood and feature 22 rides and attractions, eight themed areas, and Saudi Arabia’s first surf pool, Surftopia, press materials say. Making a big splash is the Junoon Drop, billed as the world’s tallest water coaster, soaring 12 stories before plummeting into a near-vertical descent.

Other attractions include the world’s tallest AquaLoop, dubbed Speedy Jamezales, a translucent fibreglass waterslide featuring a disappearing floor to send riders into an abyss-like drop. The Slithereel will set another record as “the world’s longest rotating slide wheel” that “combines the excitement of a Ferris wheel with a water slide.” 

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In addition, the Jamal Joom is anticipated to hold the record for “the world’s longest mat blaster,” an attraction blending high-speed, headfirst mat racing with uphill, jet-propelled technology.

Although no launch schedule has yet been confirmed for Aquarabia, the Saudi Gazette reported March 2026 as the inauguration date targeted by Qiddiya Investment Company’s managing director. Abdullah Al-Dawood appeared to want to build on the momentum gained in Qiddiya from the recent launch of Six Flags and be open in time to tap into the travel and tourism market during the Eid al-Fitr season, mid-March.

“Six Flags is open. After Eid al-Fitr, we will open Aquarabia. Every three months, each year, something new will open, gradually shaping the city,” Al-Dawood told TV show Fi Alsurah.

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At the time of its opening, the US$1-billion Six Flags Qiddiya claimed to possess the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster. The Falcons Flight was intended as a “signature attraction” at the entertainment complex, reaching top speeds over 240 km/h, heights of 195 metres, and more than four km of track.

There is no shortage of record breakers here either. The park’s Sirocco Tower is the world’s tallest, free-standing shot tower at about 144 metres. The Iron Rattler is the world’s tallest tilt coaster. And the Gyrospin is the world’s tallest pendulum ride.

They are all soon to face a rival, if Aquarabia really is coming as soon as officials hope. Qiddiya City is envisaged as a vast entertainment and leisure development on the edge of the Tuwaiq Mountains, and is part of the Saudi Arabian government’s strategy to decarbonise its economy through investment in experiential tourism and domestic entertainment.

L’article Saudi Arabia aims to open world’s tallest water coaster at Aquarabia in 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The statement by the two bodies announcing the cancellation comes after sustainability, financial feasibility, and safety questions over the NEOM Games. NEOM is a Saudi Arabian giga development in the northwestern province of Tabuk, intended to become a futuristic megacity, providing “the urban model of tomorrow in which humanity evolves without harming the health of the Planet.” It is designed to be powered 100% by renewables and is a key part of the kingdom’s decarbonisation plans.

At the heart of NEOM is Trojena, a 60-km² year-round ski, wellness, and sports “village,” situated 50km from the Gulf of Aqaba in the Sarawat Mountains, where a microclimate is supposed to make artificial and natural snow possible via renewable energy and water management.

In late 2024, Hyatt Hotels Corporation made public its plans to open two new hotels in NEOM, citing Saudi Arabia as “a key market in Hyatt’s growth strategy in the Middle East.”

The NEOM project was initially funded by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to the tune of $800 billion out of a predicted $1.5 trillion, with a 10 billion riyals (€2.51 billion) loan from Saudi banks, plus bond sales. The gradual diversification of investments was widely thought by commentators to illustrate the kingdom’s various struggles to finance the development, especially given the scope of its other infrastructure commitments and the other major events it had programmed, such as the 2030-2031 Riyadh Expo and 2034’s FIFA World Cup.

With a recent drop in oil demand driving prices and Saudi revenues down, the announcement on the 2029 Winter Games appears to confirm what the Saudis themselves have already admitted. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al‑Jadaan said in 2025 that “no ego” would influence how the nation would continue to assess its initiatives and commitments, pointing to the need to be able to pivot to faster-growing sectors as required.

Now that pragmatism is playing out with the approach to the Winter Games. Alongside the OCA, and following what the latest statement called “extensive consultations between the two organizations,” Saudi Arabia has said it will instead play host to other winter sports events over the coming years.

L’article Saudia Arabia postpones 2029 Asian Winter Games amid financial questions est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The US$1 billion theme park is the first operational component of Qiddiya City, a vast entertainment and leisure development on the edge of the Tuwaiq Mountains, about 40 kilometres from Riyadh. The wider Qiddiya project spans hundreds of square kilometres and forms part of Saudi Arabia’s push to diversify its economy through investment in experiential tourism and domestic entertainment.

The initial phase alone is expected to inject SR 2.5 billion (around €600 million) into the Saudi economy and generate around 7,000 jobs. By 2030, as additional phases of the project are completed, the projected GDP contribution rises sharply to SR 44 billion (approximately €10.6 billion), with an estimated 85,000 jobs being created.

The Six Flags park offers high-intensity rides and immersive worlds. It is organised into six themed lands, each with its own narrative, blending cutting-edge technology and culturally tailored design. The park’s headline attraction is Falcon’s Flight, which Six Flags says is the world’s longest, tallest, and fastest rollercoaster, reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h.

Qiddiya City is part of a broader, long-term national development strategy under Saudi Vision 2030. Once complete, the city will feature a Formula 1 circuit, a stadium ready for the World Cup, and the headquarters and training facilities of Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. There will also be a national tennis centre, an equestrian zone connected to the Saudi Cup, and a golf academy, complete with an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Nick Faldo, but also a performing arts centre.

Further openings are already in the pipeline, including Aquarabia, a Saudi-designed water park with women-only days, and the world’s first Dragon Ball-themed amusement park. The site will also feature dedicated eSports arenas, positioning Qiddiya to capitalise on the rapidly expanding global gaming market and its mega-events drawing huge crowds globally.

Owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Qiddiya is one of five flagship “giga-projects” spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) as part of the kingdom’s effort to reduce its dependence on oil. Initially scheduled to open in 2022, the project was launched in 2018 by King Salman, but has faced delays amid broader setbacks affecting several PIF-backed developments, including the futuristic Neom project.

While Saudi authorities point to Qiddiya’s opening as evidence that ambitious projects can be delivered, doubts persist over the scale and economic viability of others. “An amusement park is one thing. A futuristic city is another,” Kristin Smith Diwan of the Arab Gulf States Institute told The Financial Times, adding that Six Flags’ debut is unlikely “to allay global scepticism towards Neom.”

Project officials, however, are more optimistic and argue that Qiddiya is built on a more pragmatic model. Abdullah al-Dawood, managing director of Qiddiya Investment Company, told Arab News that “Qiddiya’s economic model is based on visitor spending,” describing it as a way to retain domestic tourism expenditure that would otherwise flow abroad.

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“We are not just building a city; we are creating a national landmark that will inspire and uplift for generations to come, fostering opportunities and experiences unparalleled anywhere in the world.”

On the ground, the launch has not been entirely glitch-free. Six Flags Qiddiya City announced a one-day closure on 11 January, saying additional time was required to “add the finishing touches and fine-tune the thrills.” During opening days, wait times were reported at around 15 to 20 minutes for most attractions, with Falcon’s Flight the notable exception, where queues exceeded an hour.

Single-day tickets are priced at SR 325 (€78) for visitors aged 12 and over, with family passes starting from SR 1,200 (€290). Entry is free for children under three, with discounts available for people with disabilities and accompanying carers, as well as nannies.

L’article Six Flags Qiddiya opens as Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with Vision 2030 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In a press release, the SRSA says the guide provides tourists, investors, and practitioners with “one comprehensive digital access point for all relevant information, regulations, and procedures,” a development that represents “a qualitative leap in the SRSA’s efforts to enhance the coastal tourism sector, increase its attractiveness, and establish a clear, unified reference framework for coastal tourism activities.”

The #SaudiRedSeaAuthority has launched the #IntroductoryGuideforYachting to be your trusted compass for sailing with confidence.​

The guide provides everything needed to support this activity, ensuring a safe and sustainable maritime experience along the Red Sea coast.​

Learn… pic.twitter.com/2MXCE58kvw

— الهيئة السعودية للبحر الأحمر (@RedSeaSaudi) January 4, 2026

Like other Arabian Peninsula states, Saudi Arabia continues its pivot towards tourism, and the EBHAR platform is part of that drive. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has said the country “aspires to position the Red Sea as a global benchmark for best practices in the blue economy, and to become a global pioneer in research, development, and innovation in this field.”

With the EBHAR guide, the SRSA aims to allow coastal tourism stakeholders, whether tourists, investors, or practitioners, to access all relevant details, including updated requirements, conditions, and procedures, in one place. What’s more, “smart links” direct users to the official platforms of competent authorities responsible for the requested service—an approach to shorten processing times and “transform the information seeking journey into a smooth, reliable, and fully integrated digital experience.” The guide also includes a Frequently Asked Questions section, along with advice on permitted and prohibited practices.

The first series of the guide is already in the public domain and is dedicated to yachting activities, offering what the SRSA claims is “a clear and practical end-to-end pathway for a yacht’s journey from arrival to departure.” It includes procedures, documentation, licenses and permits, mechanisms for choosing and confirming the port of entry (port/marina) through a licensed agent, as well as directories of approved service providers (maritime tourism agents, yacht charter companies, and marinas). The guide further incorporates safety and environmental sustainability guidelines, and will feature updates on regulations, helping users to ensure compliance, receive feedback and handle complaints in line with requirements.

Travel Tomorrow spoke to Experience Designer and leisure sailor Tom Wellings, who reviewed the site and called it “a good initiative in what seems to be an early iteration.” He noted the “large chunk of complex official jargon” rather than Plain English on the landing page, how challenging it is to navigate to the right information, and supposed “smart links” that currently take users to PDFs rather than digitised web pages. In addition, when the language is set to English, reading direction for some icons remains right-to-left, though this does not present a major issue, in his view.

EBHAR is the result of intensive coordination efforts led by the SRSA and is a step towards better integration of the coastal tourism sector, which the Authority recognises as one of the key drivers of tourism growth as per the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

L’article Saudi Red Sea Authority releases official guide to coastal tourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The park will include “adventure, competition, and entertainment,” Donaldson said, “inspired by the world-famous challenges of MrBeast.” These include “Tower Siege,” a game where participants load balls into real catapults with the aim of landing them in giant 60 foot tubes for points, and “Drop Zone” where six competitors standing on trap doors must hit a button when it lights up in front of them. Whoever presses it last, “gets dropped.” The last player standing “gets the most points.”

Other activities include a zipline-based challenge dubbed “Airmail” and a maze activity called “Dungeon Escape,” as well as rollercoasters and merchandise shops. In typical Beast maximising style, there are two areas aimed at covering all fan bases: one is designed to offer a non-competitive experience, while the other is points-based and leads to a “Grand Finale.”

Ticket prices for the Donaldson-inspired attraction start at just $7 USD (€6) for general non-player admission. To take part in challenges and games, and do three rides, entrants will need to activate “Beast Mode” with a $25 USD (nearly €22) ticket. Meanwhile, $66 USD (around €57) will give full, unlimited access, including to the “world’s largest prize wall.”

Next week Beast Land our brand new theme park opens!!!! We built custom games modeled after our videos that don’t exist ANYWHERE else and will have the world’s largest prize wall pic.twitter.com/CdNvme2xG2

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) November 6, 2025

Donaldson, born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in North Carolina, first started making YouTube content aged 14 in 2012. His first videos documented gameplay on Minecraft and Call of Duty: Black Ops II, but after dropping out of college and, in his own words, becoming “relentlessly, unhealthily obsessed with studying virality, studying the YouTube algorithm”, he broke through with a viral video showing him counting to 100,000. He now has over 450 million YouTube subscribers, 122 million TikTok followers, and 79 million on Instagram.

Fans in North America have questioned why his new theme park is located in Riyadh, with Donaldson responding on X: “Middle of the world because a majority of my audience is outside America and we have a big Middle Eastern fan base.”

Middle of the world because a majority of my audience is outside America and we have a big middle eastern fan base. Wanted to give them a chance to participate!

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) November 6, 2025

To that, seemingly irritated X readers added context: “To be clear: MrBeast also chose Saudi Arabia because he signed a deal with the Saudi-funded Riyadh Season earlier this year, and Beast Land was a part of the deal.”

Saudi Arabia, like other Middle Eastern states, is diversifying its oil-based economy and pushing hard on tourism. It is involved in plans for a six-Gulf-state tourist visa emulating Schengen-style trans-border access, and has developed advertising to shake its conservative reputation and appeal to a wider tourist base. Events like the Saudi Esports World Cup and WWE are part of that transformation – and Beast Land too.

L’article YouTube star MrBeast set to launch Beast Land theme park in Saudi Arabia est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

For a long time, Saudia has mainly been focusing on transporting religious pilgrims. But as Saudi Arabia, as a nation, has been looking to diversify its oil-focused economy – actively investing towards luxury tourism and grand scale events while aiming to welcome 150 million tourists per year by 2030 – its national airline too has been shifting its focus.

The changes at Saudia have been going on for a couple of years already. The Saudi government has hired a new commercial head and an executive from Qatar Airways, asked to change the overall passenger experience. New lounges were created, amenity kits were given a designer remodel, and a coffee cup collection inspired by the country’s different regions was launched.

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Modern times, modern fashion

During Riyadh Fashion Week in October 2025, Saudia once again proved to be making profound changes to its cultural heritage during a show on the roof of the Kingdom Center Tower. The airline presented its own clothing brand called SV by Saudia, a name derived from the airline’s IATA code.

The brand’s first collection, Live to Fly, was designed by creative director Mohammed Khoja, founder of fashion label Hindamme. Throughout the clothing line, Khoja opted for a range of whites and greens to reflect the airline’s colour scheme. However, it was mainly the overall sporty-chic aesthetic – sporting bombers, polos, dresses, and more – that surprised due to its modern character, stepping away from the airline’s more traditional legacy.

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“It’s been a great honour to collaborate with Saudia on the debut collection of this iconic fashion line. Working alongside Freebirds (a Saudi virtual creative agency) to bring SV by Saudia to life offered a unique experience to unite two worlds; the rich legacy of Saudia that we all grew up cherishing, and the nostalgia it represents to us as Saudis, reinterpreted through an innovative fashion medium”, Khoja said about the collection.

While prices for the collection have not yet been unveiled, the clothing line will be available through an online platform, and seasonal drops have already been announced.

Saudia is not the first airline to venture into fashion, nor is it the first to do so in the region. Previously, Emirates has already launched a luxury merchandise collection boasting luggage, towels, and more. Moreover, Qatar Airways has engaged in several Giorgio Armani partnerships in the past, conforming to the airline industry’s fascination for fashion.

L’article Saudia’s clothing brand launch marks cultural change est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The service, due to commence in October 2026, will not be the first to connect the US with Saudi Arabia. A range of carriers, including British Airways, EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, and Qatar Airways, take passengers to the Arabian Peninsula kingdom, mostly flying to Jeddah.

Instead, Delta will focus on Riyadh. The over 11,000km and up to 15-hour route will be scheduled three times per week, marking what Bastian called “a key step in Delta’s global growth as we start our second century of flight.” Speaking at a launch event, he said the “new flights will connect customers to this dynamic, fast-growing region” and hailed the route as part of Delta’s “bold vision to create meaningful opportunities and experiences in every corner of the world in the years ahead.”

Responding to the announcement, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, said: “We welcome Delta to Riyadh and look forward to the opportunities this service will create for travelers worldwide,” calling the non-stop flights a “significant milestone in strengthening global connectivity between our nations” that “will open new doors for tourism and cultural exchange while driving business and innovation.”

نُرحّب بإعلان شركة دلتا الجوية الأمريكية عن تسيير رحلات مباشرة بين أتلانتا والرياض بدءًا من أكتوبر 2026، في خطوة تُعزز انفتاح المملكة على أسواق جديدة، وتُسهِم في تسهيل وصول الزوار لاستكشاف تنوعها الثقافي ومقوماتها السياحية الفريدة ضمن مستهدفات #رؤية_السعودية_2030.

We value and… https://t.co/Ectoxd0ZVZ

— Ahmed Al Khateeb أحمد الخطيب (@AhmedAlKhateeb) October 28, 2025

With business travel increasing between the two countries, the advent of a new direct route is being reported as an indication of increasing ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia – nations which, over forty years ago, joined forces against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan; share an oil trade agreement; and have become closer during Trump’s presidencies. The US president has multi-billion-dollar Trump Tower and Trump Plaza real estate interests in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Dar Global.

Though some outlets, such as Unilad Tech, are calling the route controversial, speaking to Fortune Bastian noted the “amazing display” of visitor opportunities and experiences in the Saudi kingdom – a destination that, alongside other Arab states, is diversifying and decarbonising its oil-based economy with ambitious travel and tourism goals, supported by its PIF (Public Investment Fund). Bastian also praised the hospitable and authentic people of Saudi Arabia and said the country was one of his favourite places to visit.

L’article Delta to launch new direct route from Atlanta to Saudi capital est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Tourism is projected to contribute 11.7 trillion US dollars to the global economy in 2025, representing 10.3 percent of global GDP. While the sector continues to grow, it also faces a number of challenges, including shifting market dynamics, evolving traveller preferences, and increasing pressure on infrastructure. TOURISE aims to provide a strategic vision for the next 50 years of global tourism, offering a roadmap to navigate these transformations and unlock the sector’s full potential.

“Tourism is one of the most dynamic, connective forces in the world’s economy, supporting one in ten jobs globally. But as the world evolves, the sector must too. Whether adapting to technological disruption and changing traveller expectations, to addressing the urgent calls for sustainability and a more equitable approach to travel, TOURISE will be the much-needed platform to shape the future of tourism. It will unite the right people to develop innovative solutions and build partnerships, enabling the tourism sector to be more resilient, connected, and inclusive than ever before,” said Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism and TOURISE Chairman, Ahmed Al-Khateeb.

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TOURISE plans to bring together the public and private sector tourism industry leaders. Experts in tourism, technology, investment, sustainability, and cultural expertise will share their insights in order to build a sustainable, equitable, and future-focused global tourism industry. The advisory board includes global experts from online travel agencies, tour operators, hoteliers, global tourism bodies, entertainment, and media. Some of those involved are Mario Enzesberger (Founder and CEO at Liberty International Tourism Group), Stephane Lefebvre (President at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group), and Julia Simpson (CEO at World Travel & Tourism Council).

Three key elements of TOURISE

In order to reach that goal, TOURISE will consist of different yet intertwined sections. The global, year-round platform will enable digital collaboration, thematic working groups, and cross-sector partnerships focused on long-term sector transformation. 

The inaugural TOURISE Summit will take place in Riyadh from 11 to 13 November 2025. While the event will be invite-only, the summit will also. Be live-streamed in order to reach as many industry players as possible. Four core themes will be at the centre of the event: The Future of AI-Powered Tourism – Innovate or Fade; The Great Tourism Reset – Disruptive Business Models and Investment; Rebooting the Travel Experience – Upgrade in Progress; and Tourism that Works – for People, Planet, and Progress. Meanwhile, the so-called Innovation Zone will showcase breakthrough technologies and solutions spanning AI, mobility, sustainability, and more from innovators across both public and private sectors. 

A pivotal moment for the future of global tourism.

At a distinguished gala dinner, leaders from across sectors come together to celebrate the launch of TOURISE, a groundbreaking platform focused on transforming the future of tourism.

TOURISE brings public and private sector… pic.twitter.com/b1g4fNtPuM

— TOURISE (@TOURISEofficial) May 22, 2025

“We are delighted to be a part of this global initiative and continue our long-standing collaboration across the entire tourism ecosystem. For this industry to evolve and reach its full potential, public-private sector collaboration is critical to the continued success of Travel & Tourism worldwide. Together, we can address the challenges of today while co-creating a sustainable and innovative future for tomorrow,” stated Julia Simpson, World Travel & Tourism Council President & CEO, and TOURISE Advisory Board Member.

Lastly, the TOURISE Awards will be a recognition program celebrating destination excellence across the global tourism ecosystem. The awards will spotlight notable achievements in sustainability, digital transformation, inclusive tourism, cultural preservation, and workforce development. Nomination submissions will open from 2 June onwards and the winners in categories such as ‘Best Shopping Destination’ and ‘Best Culture & Arts Destination’ will be announced on the opening night of the TOURISE Summit.

Why Saudi Arabia?

The launch of TOURISE by Saudi Arabia comes at a moment when the country is increasingly focusing on its own role in the tourism industry. In 2024, Saudi Arabia hit its Vision 2030 target of 100 million visitors annually, seven years early. The tourism sector also contributed almost five 5% to the national GDP, second only to oil production. The launch of TOURISE in collaboration with industry players underlines and reinforces the country’s role in the global tourism industry.  

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