Saudi Arabia is observing its 100 million tourists mark at ITB Berlin with a new event ‘Breaking Records, Building Bridges’.

With Saudi Arabia having achieved the landmark of 100 million domestic and international tourists in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb is set to hold a celebratory reception convening global tourism leaders on the sideline of the ongoing ITB Berlin 2024.

According to a press statement by the Saudi Tourism Authority, the ‘Breaking Records, Building Bridges,’ event will bring together leaders from the global travel industry to spotlight collaborative opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

STA statement says that it is exhibiting in ITB for the second year running with a delegation of more than 55 partners led by Al-Khateeb and Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and key partners including destination management companies, hotels, and airlines. 

It adds that Saudi’s tourism sector has achieved a full recovery since the pandemic with a 56 pc growth in international arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019, the highest in the G20. The increase in 2023 was driven by a 65 pc increase in international visits, with close to 11 million more inbound visits compared to 2022, from 16.6 million in 2022 to 27.4 million in 2023.

“Saudi Arabia’s expanded participation in this year’s ITB Berlin reflects our tremendous growth, as we celebrate a milestone of achieving over 100 million tourists in 2023. This achievement is not merely a number, but a testament to our unwavering commitment, our ability to inspire investment commitments into the tourism sector, and the collaborations made across the Saudi tourism ecosystem as a whole, which has propelled us forward as one of the world’s most dynamic destinations. Our goal is to strengthen Saudi’s position among the top 10 nations in the G20 for tourism, as the premier choice for both tourists and investors, a global powerhouse for tourism,” says Al-Khateeb.

Saudi tourism sector has achieved a full recovery since the pandemic with a 56 pc growth in international arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019, the highest in the G20. The increase in 2023 was driven by a 65 pc increase in international visits, with close to 11 million more inbound visits compared to 2022, from 16.6 million in 2022 to 27.4 million in 2023.

 The statement adds that Saudi’s 2024 ITB stand features a range of experiences including a full-size Formula1 car and virtual driving simulation of the Jeddah Grand Prix circuit, a Saudi Pro League Museum, Saudi Cafes and more.

The statement adds that a Saudi low cost carrier Flynas has launched a new route from Jeddah to Berlin from September, with three flights per week.

“Following on from the success of being named best exhibitor at last year’s event, we are delighted to be back at ITB with an even bigger and more immersive stand. It reflects the importance of the European market for Saudi as we accelerate progress towards our new increased target of 150 million tourists by 2030. The increase from Germany tourists alone to Saudi was a 61 pc increase compared to the previous year, showing the developed appetite for Saudi as a destination,” says Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority.

“Today’s growth is just the start of our story and our success to date is the foundation for tomorrow’s investments, so we look forward to building new partnerships, showcasing the wealth of opportunities in Saudi right now and building knowledge around our diverse and dynamic destination,” he adds.