عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

New Legislation Facilitates Investment in Saudi Tourism Sector

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

New Legislation Facilitates Investment in Saudi Tourism Sector

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib said, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, that work is underway on new regulations and legislation that will facilitate the investment process in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is witnessing a major transformation in the tourism sector after it enacted and developed a number of regulations and launched mega projects that allowed the country to attract more than 100 million visitors last year, the target initially set for 2030.
During a press conference on Wednesday at the Abu Faraj heritage palaces in Al-Aziza, west of the city of Abha in the southern Aseer region, Al-Khatib revealed the ministry’s moves to provide appropriate long-term funding at a competitive cost in order to encourage investment in the Saudi tourism system.
In his remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the minister pointed to the most prominent achievements in the sector, revealing that the Kingdom received 60 million visitors during the first half of 2024, with spending amounting to SAR 143 billion ($38.1 billion), recording about 10 percent growth in the number of tourists and spending.
He added that by the end of the first half of this year, the sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product had reached 5 percent, and was moving steadily toward achieving 10 percent, which is equivalent to SAR 600-700 billion of tourism income.
Moreover, Al-Khatib also spoke about the launch of the Bachelor of International Hospitality Management program, a partnership between the Ministry of Tourism, King Khalid University, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
He noted that a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Tourism and the Colleges of Excellence Company, with the aim of developing human capabilities and expanding international specialized technical colleges and strategic partnership institutes in the field of tourism and hospitality.
Al-Khateeb said 10,000 training opportunities both inside and outside the Kingdom would be allocated to those working in the Aseer region’s tourism sector.
The National Tourism Strategy aims to reach over 150 million local and international tourists by 2030. In 2023, it reached 109 million.
The minister added: “The Tourism Development Fund plays an important role in providing financing, allocating SAR 7.4 billion to enable over 100 tourism projects around the Kingdom with a value exceeding SAR 35 billion.”
He pointed out that the fund financed 10 major projects in the Aseer region, ranging from international hotels to multi-use projects with a value exceeding one billion riyals. International hotel brands included: InterContinental Residence in Abha, DoubleTree in Khamis Mushait Governorate, and Khayal Walk Boulevard.

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Saudi Arabia: Global Mining Needs $6 Trillion in Investments to Meet Demand

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef speaks at the start of the event. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef speaks at the start of the event. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia: Global Mining Needs $6 Trillion in Investments to Meet Demand

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef speaks at the start of the event. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef speaks at the start of the event. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The global mining industry requires $6 trillion in investments over the next decade to meet rising demand, presenting a major challenge for the sector. This figure was revealed by Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef during an international meeting of mining ministers.

The announcement underscores the mining sector’s appetite for investments, coinciding with Saudi Arabia’s increasing focus on making mining the third pillar of its national industrial strategy.

The meeting was part of the Future Minerals Forum hosted by Saudi Arabia under the theme “Creating Impact,” which gathered representatives from nearly 90 countries and over 50 organizations. The conference highlighted the vital role of mining in Saudi Arabia and the global economy.

Key topics discussed included boosting value addition in mineral-producing countries and developing green metals using advanced technologies and renewable energy.

The ministerial meeting facilitated the signing of several memorandums of understanding aimed at strengthening international partnerships and advancing Saudi Arabia’s mining and minerals sector.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia increased its estimated untapped mineral wealth from $1.3 trillion to $2.5 trillion, a move intended to support the Kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy.

Global mining investments

In his opening remarks, Al-Khorayef stated that the global mining industry would need investments of $6 trillion over the next decade to meet growing demand, particularly driven by the global energy transition. He emphasized that metals are the foundation of supply chains and are essential for meeting the increasing demand for critical materials.

The minister also stressed the importance of continuing three initiatives launched at last year’s conference, namely, the International Framework for Critical Minerals, a network of centers of excellence to build mining expertise in the Middle East, and a priority-based approach to supply chain development.

He proposed forming a ministerial-level steering committee to oversee these initiatives and called on multilateral organizations to develop a roadmap to mitigate investment risks and enhance collaboration.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the conference, Al-Khorayef said that Saudi Arabia is working closely with Arab countries, particularly those with established mining sectors like Morocco, Jordan and Egypt.

The minister highlighted the need for regional integration in mining, as companies often operate across multiple areas, stressing that mining is a key component of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly as the world shifts toward sustainable energy solutions and technologies that require large quantities of minerals.

Yonis Ali Guedi, Djibouti’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources told Asharq Al-Awsat that his country had signed a new cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to enhance collaboration in the mining sector and exchange training expertise. The agreement also includes resource-sharing and highlights Djibouti’s need for Saudi investments, he added.

The minister underlined the significant role Saudi companies could play in developing Djibouti’s mining sector, while also acknowledging progress in local industries. On a broader level, Guedi pointed to the growth of Africa’s mining sector and underscored the importance of maintaining this momentum to meet global demand.

Focus on critical minerals

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, said that financing remains the greatest challenge for his country’s mining sector.

Exploration of critical minerals, he explained, requires significant investments with high risks, a challenge faced by many African nations. Bio underscored the importance of improving Sierra Leone’s infrastructure and value chain capabilities, from exploration to processing, and expressed interest in leveraging Saudi expertise in mining.

He added that Sierra Leone is seeking to strengthen international cooperation to create a comprehensive framework for critical minerals, with a focus on sustainability.

Malaysia’s Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad highlighted that the key challenge for his country’s mining sector is its technological gap. He noted that advanced technologies for producing and processing rare earth minerals are concentrated in a few major countries, limiting Malaysia’s competitiveness in global markets.

The minister also pointed to geopolitical tensions disrupting global supply chains, which has complicated matters for countries like Malaysia that rely on trade with both China and the United States.

Despite these challenges, Ahmad stated that his country is working to boost its domestic processing capabilities for rare earth minerals, aiming to reduce its reliance on raw material exports.

Yemeni Minister of Minerals Dr. Saeed Al-Shamasi emphasized Yemen’s valuable mineral resources, including lithium, which is essential for batteries and renewable energy technologies. Yemen also holds reserves of copper and other strategic minerals.

He called for urgent foreign investments to develop the sector, given Yemen’s lack of advanced infrastructure. Al-Shamasi also highlighted Yemen’s efforts to strengthen cooperation with Saudi Arabia, noting the establishment of a Saudi-Yemeni Business Council to facilitate investment across various sectors.

International agreements

During the ministerial meeting, Al-Khorayef signed cooperation agreements with six countries: Djibouti, the United Kingdom, Jordan, Zambia, Austria and France. These agreements aim to strengthen international partnerships and advance the Kingdom’s mining sector.

The accompanying exhibition featured cutting-edge technologies and innovations in mining, promoting global collaboration to achieve sustainability in the sector.

Meanhwile, two global alliances, including local and international companies, won exploration licenses for six mining sites in Saudi Arabia during the seventh round of mining competitions, according to the Ministry’s statement on Tuesday.