Charleston will always be home to me. I was born and raised in the Southern city. Even though I left for college, I still go back regularly to visit my friends and family.
21.10.2024 - 23:47 / skift.com / Ahmed Al-Khateeb / Sarah Kopit
Saudi Arabia is setting its sights on the Chinese outbound tourism market as part of its strategy to transform the kingdom into a global tourism hub. With 1.4 billion people, China offers a significant source of potential travelers, especially as the number of Chinese tourists flying internationally recovers post-pandemic.
“China is a huge market,” said Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb in an interview with Skift ahead of the World Economic Forum Urban Transformation Summit in San Francisco. “Last year, about 120 million Chinese traveled, and this year that number is expected to reach 140 million. Next year, they are forecasting a record 150 million.”
Saudi Arabia has identified an opportunity to attract the 20-25% of Chinese tourists who take mid-to-long-haul flights, often to Europe and the Middle East. “We want to capture part of this big traffic,” he said.
To tap into this market, Saudi Arabia has been actively promoting itself in China. “We hosted a Saudi festival there, and thousands of people visited to learn about our culture. We share values like family, and they travel for culture and heritage, which we have a lot to offer,” Al Khateeb added. The Saudi Travel Festival was held at Beijing’s Tiantan Park last week.
This push is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader tourism expansion named Vision 2030 — a framework developed by Saudi Arabia with the aim of reducing its dependence on oil by diversifying into other sectors, including tourism. The plan was initially set to attract 100 million visitors annually by 2030, but the goal was later revised to 150 million when the Kingdom surpassed its 100 million goal in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule.
The Kingdom is also exploring how technology can enhance travelers’ experience, especially in airports. “We want to digitalize the unnecessary, like the hassle of airports, while preserving the necessary human connections that are core to tourism,” Al Khateeb said.
That includes concepts like biometric systems and unmanned transport, while still allowing tourists to take in the local culture and people.
“I don’t want to spend time in the airport. This is unnecessary,” Al Khateeb said. “Picking up my bag, it’s unnecessary. Just put in a chip and let the bag be delivered to your hotel.”
But Al Khateeb is protective of the personal, human experience intrinsic to travel. “When you go to a restaurant, you want to speak with the people, with the locals,” he says. “When you are in the lobby, you want to talk to the waiter and joke when you are driven by Uber or by taxi.”
Saudi Arabia is increasingly turning to public-private partnerships to fuel the growth of its tourism sector. The government plays a regulatory role, while the private sector
Charleston will always be home to me. I was born and raised in the Southern city. Even though I left for college, I still go back regularly to visit my friends and family.
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