Saudi Arabia Ranks 12th Globally in International Tourism Receipts

Saudi Arabia Ranks 12th Globally in International Tourism Receipts
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Saudi Arabia Ranks 12th Globally in International Tourism Receipts

Saudi Arabia Ranks 12th Globally in International Tourism Receipts

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues its impressive growth, advancing 15 positions in international tourism receipts and leading the Top 50 ranking in upward movement, SPA reported.

According to the UN World Tourism Organization, Saudi Arabia ranked 12th in 2023, making a significant improvement from its 2019 ranking.
In a press release issued Friday, Saudi Arabia has led G20 countries in growth on the UN Tourism Barometer, achieving a 73% increase in international tourist arrivals and a 207% rise in international tourism receipts based on the latest data from the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019.

These impressive gains reflect the Kingdom’s success as a leading tourism destination. The steady increase in international tourist arrivals further underscores the trust visitors place in Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse attractions. Globally, international tourist arrivals reached 96% of pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of 2024, totalling an estimated 790 million tourists – an 11% increase over the same period in 2023.
The release disclosed that the Middle East maintained the lead as the strongest-growing region, with international arrivals rising 26% over 2019 levels.



Iraq, Saudi, Russia Stress Need for Stable Oil Market ahead of OPEC+ Meeting

A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed stock graph and Opec logo in this illustration picture, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed stock graph and Opec logo in this illustration picture, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Iraq, Saudi, Russia Stress Need for Stable Oil Market ahead of OPEC+ Meeting

A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed stock graph and Opec logo in this illustration picture, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed stock graph and Opec logo in this illustration picture, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

OPEC+ members Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed in a meeting in Iraq on Tuesday on the importance of maintaining stable oil markets and fair prices, Iraq's Prime Minister Office said on Tuesday.

The talks come ahead of Sunday's meeting of OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, where OPEC+ sources say it will weigh a possible further delay to plans to raise oil output.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak attended the meeting.

They discussed "the conditions of global energy markets and matters related to the production of crude oil, its flow to markets, and meeting demand," the prime minister's office said, Reuters reported.

"The importance of maintaining stability, balance, and fair prices was emphasised, while stressing the vital role played by the OPEC+ group in this regard," the office added.

Russian energy minister Sergei Tsivilev and deputy energy minister Pavel Sorokin were also present, according to a photo posted on the X account of the Iraqi prime minister's media office.

OPEC+, which pumps around half the world's oil, has already delayed a plan to gradually lift production by several months this year because of falling prices, weak demand and rising production outside the group.

Despite OPEC+'s cuts and delays to output hikes, oil prices have mostly stayed in a $70-$80 per barrel range this year and on Tuesday were trading below $74 a barrel, not far above a 2024 low reached in September.

Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov told Reuters on Monday OPEC+ may at Sunday's meeting consider leaving its current oil output cuts in place from Jan. 1. The meeting will be held online, OPEC+ sources said.