Saudi Arabia Sees Huge Increase in International Tourists and Revenue
Saudi Arabia has achieved a remarkable 73% increase in the number of international tourist arrivals, while international tourism revenues have surged by 207%, according to the World Tourism Barometer by UN Tourism.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Kingdom has continued to lead the G20 countries in the growth rate of international tourists and tourism revenues for the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019.
The Kingdom’s various tourist destinations have seen a significant rise in international tourist numbers this year, with 17.5 million tourist arrivals. In 2023, Saudi Arabia saw a 56% growth in international tourists compared to 2019, with 27.4 million tourists visiting the country. This achievement placed Saudi Arabia at the top of the UN Tourism Data Dashboard for the growth rate of international tourists among major tourist destinations in 2023.
Additionally, the travel account in the balance of payments recorded a historic surplus of 48 billion riyals in 2023, marking an annual increase of 38%.
Doubts Revealed
Saudi Arabia -: Saudi Arabia is a country in the Middle East, known for its deserts, rich history, and being the birthplace of Islam.
International tourists -: International tourists are people who travel to a different country for vacation, work, or other reasons.
Revenue -: Revenue is the money that a country or business earns from its activities, like tourism.
World Tourism Barometer -: The World Tourism Barometer is a report by the UN Tourism organization that tracks and measures tourism trends and data worldwide.
UN Tourism -: UN Tourism, also known as the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is a group that helps countries improve their tourism industries.
G20 countries -: G20 countries are a group of 20 major economies, including India, that work together to address global economic issues.
Growth rate indicators -: Growth rate indicators are numbers that show how much something, like tourism, has increased or decreased over time.
Travel account surplus -: A travel account surplus means that a country earned more money from tourists than it spent on its own citizens traveling abroad.
Riyals -: Riyals are the currency used in Saudi Arabia, similar to how we use rupees in India.
