Saudi Arabia to Establish Marketing Tourism Offices

The Saudi Tourism Authority has set 24 plans that place Saudi Arabia as a top tourist destination on the local, regional, and global levels.
Last week, the Council of Ministers, headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, approved the regulations of the Saudi Tourism Authority to play a crucial role in promoting Saudi Arabia as a top tourist destination on both regional and international levels.
- Establishing a database
According to the regulation, a copy of which was seen by Asharq Al-Awsat, the Authority achieved its goals in developing the necessary plans and policies for tourism marketing in the Kingdom, locally and internationally.
It must also promote destinations, propose developments in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, and support and market events held by government agencies and the private sector.
The Authority will create a database of all available sites, tourist destinations, resorts, services, and events and update it periodically with the relevant authorities.
It will also be tasked with all Umrah-related promotions, including the development and management of its platform, in coordination with the relevant agencies.

Furthermore, the Authority will develop the necessary standards, tools, and mechanisms to measure visitor's experience and determine the priorities and challenges facing tourists. Reports will be shared with the Ministry.
The Authority will propose the necessary designs, policies, and procedures to prepare the development of tourist sites and destinations that need rehabilitation and submit them to the Ministry of Tourism.
- Marketing studies and research
Moreover, the Authority will work with the private sector to develop products and display them on platforms for local and global marketing.
It will prepare marketing studies and research on opportunities to develop the visitor experience in the Kingdom and cooperate with regional and international bodies and organizations.
The Authority must carry out marketing campaigns inside and outside the Kingdom to introduce tourism sites and products and register trademarks and any other intellectual property in its name, in accordance with the relevant regulations.
According to the new regulation, the Authority will develop media plans that support tourism marketing to be disseminated inside and outside the Kingdom.
It will also organize tourism forums, conferences, events, and exhibitions and participate.
- Small and medium enterprises
The Authority is scheduled to provide administrative, technical, and advisory assistance to tourism products' owners in the Kingdom and support small and medium enterprises in cooperation with the competent authorities.
It will also develop and implement training programs aimed at raising the efficiency of tourism marketing and contribute to the qualification and training of human cadres in this field.
Under the new regulations, the Authority will supervise media campaigns and advertisements promoting destinations and suggest investment opportunities that are required to improve the sector in the Kingdom.
It coordinates with the Ministry of Tourism, government agencies, and the private sector to develop a marketing policy for destinations and distribute tourism products outside the Kingdom to enhance the country's position as a global tourist destination.
- Tourist tracks

The Authority will determine the tourist tracks under the tourism sector strategy, in coordination with the Ministry, to ensure an experience consistent with the highest global standards.
The Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Ahmed al-Khateeb, said the approval of the Authority's regulations confirms the government's continued support to achieve the goals consistent with Vision 2030.
Khateeb emphasized that the significant growth witnessed by the Saudi Tourism Authority is a direct result of the Saudi leadership's commitment to organizing and supporting the tourism sector in general and the Authority in particular.
The Minister stressed that the leadership's support has also helped attract visitors worldwide, develop tourism products, empower the private tourism sector, and participate in the most important local and international tourism forums and events.
He asserted that this alignment with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 is a significant milestone for the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports soared to a two-year high in May, reaching SAR 28.89 billion (USD 7.70 billion), marking an 8.2% year-on-year increase compared to May 2023.

On a monthly basis, non-oil exports surged by 26.93% from April.

This growth contributed to Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus, which recorded a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, reaching SAR 34.5 billion (USD 9.1 billion) in May, following 18 months of decline.

The enhancement of the non-oil private sector remains a key focus for Saudi Arabia as it continues its efforts to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues.

In 2023, non-oil activities in Saudi Arabia contributed 50% to the country’s real GDP, the highest level ever recorded, according to the Ministry of Economy and Planning’s analysis of data from the General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan emphasized at the “Future Investment Initiative” in October that the Kingdom is now prioritizing the development of the non-oil sector over GDP figures, in line with its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

A report by Moody’s highlighted Saudi Arabia’s extensive efforts to transform its economic structure, reduce dependency on oil, and boost non-oil sectors such as industry, tourism, and real estate.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics’ monthly report on international trade noted a 5.8% growth in merchandise exports in May compared to the same period last year, driven by a 4.9% increase in oil exports, which totaled SAR 75.9 billion in May 2024.

The change reflects movements in global oil prices, while production levels remained steady at under 9 million barrels per day since the OPEC+ alliance began a voluntary reduction in crude supply to maintain prices. Production is set to gradually increase starting in early October.

On a monthly basis, merchandise exports rose by 3.3% from April to May, supported by a 26.9% increase in non-oil exports. This rise was bolstered by a surge in re-exports, which reached SAR 10.2 billion, the highest level for this category since 2017.

The share of oil exports in total exports declined to 72.4% in May from 73% in the same month last year.

Moreover, the value of re-exported goods increased by 33.9% during the same period.

Saudi Arabia to Establish Marketing Tourism Offices