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GCC Secretary-General: 68 Million Tourists Visited Gulf Countries in 5 Years

Albudaiwi spoke at the 9th meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism in Kuwait. Photo: GCC
Albudaiwi spoke at the 9th meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism in Kuwait. Photo: GCC
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GCC Secretary-General: 68 Million Tourists Visited Gulf Countries in 5 Years

Albudaiwi spoke at the 9th meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism in Kuwait. Photo: GCC
Albudaiwi spoke at the 9th meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism in Kuwait. Photo: GCC

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi has said that the number of tourists arriving in the Gulf countries between 2019 and 2023 reached 68.1 million, with tourism revenues amounting to $110.4 billion.

Albudaiwi said the approval of projects under the Gulf Tourism Strategy 2023–2030 aims to enhance the tourism position of the GCC countries regionally and internationally. This initiative aligns with the directives of the leaders of the GCC countries.

Albudaiwi was speaking at the 9th meeting of the GCC ministers of tourism held on Monday in Kuwait.

The meeting was chaired by Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs in Kuwait Abdul Rahman Badah Al Mutairi, President of the current session.

The Secretary-General expressed pride in the remarkable achievements of Gulf countries, which enhance their standing on the international stage and reaffirm the GCC’s commitment to a prosperous future for the region’s tourism sector.

Albudaiwi noted that international tourist arrivals in the GCC reached 68.1 million by 2023, a growth rate of 42.8% compared to 2019, achieving 52.9% of the GCC’s 2030 targets.

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Saudi Aramco Launches First Direct Air Capture Test Unit

The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
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Saudi Aramco Launches First Direct Air Capture Test Unit

The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

Saudi oil giant Aramco has launched a pilot direct air capture unit able to remove 12 tons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere, it said on Thursday.

The facility, developed with Siemens Energy, is Saudi Arabia's first carbon dioxide direct air capture (DAC) unit and will be used to test CO2 capture materials, Aramco said.

"The test facility launched by Aramco is a key step in our efforts to scale up viable DAC systems, for deployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond," Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco senior vice president of technology oversight and coordination, said in Aramco's statement, Reuters reported.

"In addition to helping address emissions, the CO2 extracted through this process can in turn be used to produce more sustainable chemicals and fuels."

Aramco announced the pilot DAC unit with Siemens Energy in October 2023 and said at the time it would be completed in 2024 and was intended to pave the way for a larger pilot plant that would have the capacity to capture 1,250 tons of CO2 per year.

The state oil giant in December signed an agreement with oil services firms SLB and Linde to build a carbon capture and storage project in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, capturing and storing up to 9 million tons of CO2 a year.