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.



Maersk Rules Out Suez Canal Return Until 'Well Into 2025'

Maersk containers are transported by train in Ronda, Spain October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Maersk containers are transported by train in Ronda, Spain October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
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Maersk Rules Out Suez Canal Return Until 'Well Into 2025'

Maersk containers are transported by train in Ronda, Spain October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Maersk containers are transported by train in Ronda, Spain October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca

Danish shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Thursday it expects strong demand for shipping goods around the globe to continue in the coming months, though does not expect to resume sailing through the Suez Canal until "well into 2025.”
Attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Iran-aligned Houthi militias have disrupted a shipping route vital to east-west trade, with prolonged re-routing of shipments pushing freight rates higher and causing congestion in Asian and European ports.
"There are no signs of de-escalation and it is not safe for our vessels or personnel to go there ... Our expectation at this point is that it will last well into 2025," Chief Executive Vincent Clerc told journalists, according to Reuters.
Maersk, viewed as a barometer of world trade, said in January it was diverting all container vessels from Red Sea routes around Africa's Cape of Good Hope for the foreseeable future.
The company said on Thursday it had seen strong demand in the third quarter especially driven by exports out of China and Southeast Asia.
Clerc said he saw no signs of a slowdown in volumes from Europe or North America in the coming months.
Maersk also confirmed robust preliminary third-quarter earnings released on Oct. 21 driven by high freight rates, when it also raised its full-year forecasts citing solid demand and the continuing disruption to shipping in the Red Sea.
Maersk's shares rose 2.4% by 0957 GMT.