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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
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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.

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Report: EU to Vote on Oct 4 to Finalize Tariffs for China-made EVs

A Leapmotor electric vehicle is put though a rain test on the production line at the Leapmotor factory in Jinhua, China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 18, 2024. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP)
A Leapmotor electric vehicle is put though a rain test on the production line at the Leapmotor factory in Jinhua, China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 18, 2024. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP)
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Report: EU to Vote on Oct 4 to Finalize Tariffs for China-made EVs

A Leapmotor electric vehicle is put though a rain test on the production line at the Leapmotor factory in Jinhua, China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 18, 2024. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP)
A Leapmotor electric vehicle is put though a rain test on the production line at the Leapmotor factory in Jinhua, China's eastern Zhejiang province on September 18, 2024. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP)

The European Union is planning to vote on whether to introduce tariffs as high as 45% on imported electric vehicles made in China on Oct. 4, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Member states have received a draft of the regulation for the proposed measures, the report said, adding that the new date could still change.
According to the report, the vote among the bloc's member states was slightly delayed amid last-minute negotiations with Beijing to try to find a resolution that would avoid the new levies.
The European Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The European Commission is on the verge of proposing final tariffs of up to 35.3% on EVs built in China, on top of the EU's standard 10% car import duty.
The proposed final duties will be subject to a vote by the EU's 27 members. They will be implemented by the end of October unless a qualified majority of 15 EU members representing 65% of the EU population votes against the levies.