Industry Minister: Saudi Arabia's Participation at Davos Confirms Its Role in Facing Global Challenges

Participants arrive at the Davos Conference Center. (AP)
Participants arrive at the Davos Conference Center. (AP)
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Industry Minister: Saudi Arabia's Participation at Davos Confirms Its Role in Facing Global Challenges

Participants arrive at the Davos Conference Center. (AP)
Participants arrive at the Davos Conference Center. (AP)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar AlKhorayef said the Kingdom's participation in the World Economic Forum 2024 annual meeting in Davos confirms its important role in facing many global challenges.

It showcases Saudi Arabia's significant role in addressing global challenges, particularly in supply chains and capacity building.

Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), AlKhorayef explained that Vision 2030 aligns with significant global issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and innovation.

He further noted that the Kingdom's engagement at Davos provides an opportunity for communication with key players in the private sector worldwide.

Saudi participation aims to foster cooperation on these issues and enhance economic and development initiatives in various sectors of the Kingdom, including industry, mining, research, development, and innovation.

AlKhorayef stated that Saudi Arabia remains committed to achieving its economic diversification plans and creating new job opportunities for its citizens through investments in new industries based on the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies of innovation and technology.

He highlighted that the Davos meeting is a platform to showcase Saudi Arabia's significant efforts and essential progress.

The minister also underscored the essential role of international partnerships in addressing contemporary challenges, particularly in food, water, energy, and the security of sustainable global supply chains.

He concluded that building international partnerships helps ensure reliable access to vital minerals, which play a crucial role in supporting global trends toward clean energy transformation.



Saudi Arabia Sees 656% Surge in Leisure Tourism in 2024

File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat
File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia Sees 656% Surge in Leisure Tourism in 2024

File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat
File photo of Saudi flag/Asharq Al-Awsat

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism said its sector, particularly the leisure and holiday segments, witnessed substantial growth, due in no small part to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 directives.
In a statement marking World Tourism Day, observed every year on September 27, the ministry said that the Kingdom welcomed 17.5 million international tourists between January and July 2024, a 10% increase over the same period in 2023 and a 73% increase compared to the 2019 figures, SPA reported.
Most striking is the 656% increase in the number of tourists arriving specifically for entertainment and holiday purpose. The ministry said that 4.2 million tourists arrived for these purposes in the first seven months of 2024, a 25% increase over the previous year and an enormous leap over pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
These impressive results highlight the success of the Kingdom's long-term tourism strategy, under Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Saudi Arabia into a global tourism destination. The Kingdom had set the goal of 100 million tourists by 2030, but achieved this milestone in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule.
Saudi Arabia was acknowledged as the fastest-growing G20 country in the latest UN World Tourism Barometer report. According to September report, Saudi Arabia leads both in the growth of international tourist numbers and in tourism revenues.
These figures underscore the Kingdom's strategic focus on developing a sustainable tourism sector, improving infrastructure, and promoting Saudi Arabia as a premier global destination.
The ministry's achievements reflect the effectiveness of these efforts and position the Kingdom as a key player in the field of global tourism.