Saudi Tourism Revenues Jump 70% in 2021

The Al-Rudaf Park in Taif, western Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Al-Rudaf Park in Taif, western Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Tourism Revenues Jump 70% in 2021

The Al-Rudaf Park in Taif, western Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Al-Rudaf Park in Taif, western Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Operational revenues of tourism-related activities in Saudi Arabia amounted to $56.8 million in 2021, a 70.8 percent increase compared with 2020, revealed the General Authority for Statistics (GAStat).

The Authority said the increase included all distinctive tourism activities. The revenues from accommodation for visitors accounted for 33.2 percent and food and drink made up 29.9 percent of the total figure.

Operational expenses

Total operating expenses of tourism-related activities reached $29.9 million, an increase of 92.2 percent from 2020.

Operational expenses related to accommodation represented 31.6 percent and food and beverage related operations accounted for 29.7 percent of total operational expenses.

Administrative data from the Ministry of Tourism showed that the annual occupancy rate in hotel rooms reached 42.1 percent in 2021.

During December, the Kingdom witnessed the highest monthly occupancy rate at 53.3 percent. The annual occupancy rate of furnished housing units stood at 49.3 percent in 2021. The highest monthly occupancy rate was 55 percent.

Number of employees

The General Authority revealed that the number of workers in tourism-related activities reached 767,819 during 2021, including 516,382 in the food and beverage sector and 101,861 in accommodation sector.

The sectors employed 81 percent of the workforce in tourism-related activities. Saudi workers accounted for 26.8 percent of the workforce, with males making up 58.1 percent of the total and females 41.9 percent.

During the first quarter of 2023, the Kingdom received about 7.8 million international tourists, the highest historical quarterly performance, and marking a growth of 64 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

Saudi Arabia occupied second place on the list of the most developed countries worldwide, according to the latest data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The Kingdom advanced 16 places in the International Tourism Revenue Index, reaching 11th place in 2022, compared to 27th place in 2019, according to the World Tourism Barometer report issued by the UNWTO in May 2023.



Stocks Drop as Fresh Trade News Awaited, Oil Down on Iran Hopes

Oil prices have dropped after an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran could be open to meeting some demands over its nuclear program. KHAMENEI.IR/AFP
Oil prices have dropped after an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran could be open to meeting some demands over its nuclear program. KHAMENEI.IR/AFP
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Stocks Drop as Fresh Trade News Awaited, Oil Down on Iran Hopes

Oil prices have dropped after an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran could be open to meeting some demands over its nuclear program. KHAMENEI.IR/AFP
Oil prices have dropped after an adviser to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran could be open to meeting some demands over its nuclear program. KHAMENEI.IR/AFP

Equities stuttered Thursday as investors await fresh developments in trade talks, with US partners looking to reach deals to avoid Donald Trump's tariff blitz, while oil extended losses on hopes for an Iran nuclear deal.

With excitement from the China-US detente running out of legs, the search is on for fresh catalysts to drive a rally that has pushed markets back above the levels seen before US President Trump's April 2 "Liberation Day" bombshell, AFP said.

News that Beijing was suspending some non-tariff countermeasures on US entities for 90 days following the superpowers' weekend truce did little to inject much more enthusiasm.

With the tariffs crisis calmed for now, dealers can turn their attention to hard economic data, hoping for an idea about the initial impact of Washington's trade policies.

After figures Tuesday showing US inflation came in a little below forecasts in April, eyes are on wholesale prices and retail sales due later Thursday, as well as earnings from retail giant Walmart.

However, analysts pointed out that the real impact would not be seen until May's figures are released and warned that there were still plenty of bumps in the road ahead.

"The trade truce may hold for now, but the tariffs announced -- many still around 30 percent -- are not disappearing," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo.

"These are 'sticky' policies that can reshape supply chains, corporate margins, and even inflation. In fact, the market is now preparing for a second shock: weaker economic and earnings data in the third quarter as tariffs bite."

She added that "the muted market reaction the day after the truce suggests investors may be digesting the idea that 'the best news may already be out'".

While Wall Street enjoyed a broadly positive day, with the S&P and Nasdaq up but the Dow down, Asia largely reversed.

Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei and Manila were all down.

Oil prices sank around two percent on signs that Iran could agree to certain US demands to reach a nuclear deal.

An adviser to supreme leader Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that Tehran could accept far-reaching curbs on its atomic program in exchange for sanctions relief, according to NBC News.

Ali Shamkhani said in an interview that his country could agree to never develop nuclear weapons, give up stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and allow inspectors to nuclear sites -- among other steps -- if economic sanctions were lifted, NBC said.

The commodity had already dropped Wednesday on bets that demand would increase as tensions between China and the United States ease and the tariffs are wound back.