Saudi Tourism Celebrates Milestone Achievement at The Recent Berlin Travel Show

The Saudi tourism sector is celebrating a significant milestone following its successful participation in one of the world’s largest travel shows. The Kingdom marked the achievement of welcoming more than 100 million tourists in 2023 and secured significant new trade partnerships, propelling the sector towards unprecedented sustainable growth.

The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) secured over 15 agreements this year, including significant partnerships and collaborations with Trip.com Group, Flynas, Eurowings, Visit Bahrain, Visit Oman, and Qatar Tourism. These partnerships are set to boost the Saudi tourism sector and further solidify the Kingdom’s position as a leading global tourism destination.

Minister of Tourism and STA Chairman Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib stated, “The 2024 Saudi pavilion showcased the bright future of tourism in our country in line with Saudi Vision 2030, along with the growth and evolution of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector. Our participation in ITB has had a positive impact on enhancing Saudi Arabia’s position on the global tourism map.”

During the event, STA and Trip.com Group unveiled a major partnership to attract 350,000 additional tourists to Saudi over the next year. The collaboration leverages Trip.com Group’s extensive network and technological expertise to promote Saudi Arabia’s unique tourism offerings to a worldwide audience.

In a strategic move, STA joined forces with Flynas to launch a campaign to boost international visits to the Kingdom. The partnership will see a new Flynas route between Jeddah and Berlin launch on September 1, with three flights per week, aiming to significantly increase passenger capacity and enhance access to the Kingdom.

Further enhancing air travel connections between Germany and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Air Connectivity Program and Eurowings signed an agreement to launch two direct routes connecting Cologne and Berlin to Jeddah, with operations beginning in October.

Expanding its collaborative efforts across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), STA announced further collaboration with Visit Bahrain, Visit Oman, and Qatar Tourism. These partnerships will see new promotional campaigns to attract international tourists to the region, offering visitors a seamless experience exploring the rich heritage and modern marvels of KSA and its neighbouring states.

Throughout the event, more than 14,000 people interacted with the Saudi pavilion, which saw a record number of Saudi partners showcasing hundreds of bookable products for partners in destinations such as Jeddah, AlUla, and the Red Sea.

To mark the milestone of welcoming more than 100 million tourists in 2023, Minister Al-Khateeb hosted a celebratory reception convening global tourism leaders on the sidelines of ITB to showcase the remarkable growth and development of the Kingdom’s tourism sector.

“Saudi’s growth so far is just the start of our story, which will be built on for years to come,” concluded Minister Al-Khateeb.

The event highlighted Saudi Arabia’s potential as a global tourism destination and its commitment to sustainable growth in the sector. The numerous agreements and partnerships formed during the event are a testament to the Kingdom’s proactive approach to enhancing its tourism ecosystem and offering unique experiences to tourists worldwide.