Saudi Arabia Returns to World Travel Market London
Saudi Arabia is preparing for a significant presence at the World Travel Market (WTM) 2025 in London, scheduled to take place from November 4 to 6, 2025, at ExCeL London. The Kingdom, through its national carrier Saudia, aims to showcase its ambitious tourism goals and latest innovations to a global audience of travel professionals. WTM London is recognized as a pivotal event for the international travel and tourism industry, bringing together over 45,000 travel professionals and more than 5,000 exhibitors to foster connections and drive industry change.
Driving Tourism Growth Under Vision 2030
Saudi Arabia's participation underscores its commitment to its transformative Vision 2030, which positions tourism as a central pillar for economic diversification. The Kingdom has set an ambitious target of attracting 150 million visitors annually by 2030, having already surpassed its initial goal of 100 million visitors ahead of schedule. This growth is projected to increase tourism's contribution to the national GDP to over 10% by 2030, a substantial rise from 3.8% in 2019.
Key initiatives and giga-projects driving this expansion include:
- NEOM
- The Red Sea Project
- Qiddiya
- Diriyah
- Amaala
Saudia's Pivotal Role in Global Connectivity
As the national flag carrier, Saudia plays a crucial role in realizing Saudi Arabia's tourism aspirations, often referred to as the 'wings of Vision 2030'. The airline is actively expanding its network, operating flights to over 100 destinations across four continents, with plans to become a global transit hub connecting to more than 250 destinations and ranking among the top five globally in air transit traffic. Saudia's commitment extends to elevating service quality, luxury standards, and promoting sustainability within the aviation sector.
Recent developments highlight Saudia's innovative approach:
- Partnerships to boost tourism in regions like Aseer.
- Collaborations with entities such as Riyadh Season and the Oil Park Development Company ('THE RIG').
- Introduction of an innovative visa program allowing travelers a 96-hour stopover in the Kingdom.
- Achieving the highest global ranking for departure on-time performance (OTP) in 2024 with 88.82% punctuality.
A Strong Presence and Future Outlook
Saudi Arabia's consistent and robust participation in WTM events, including its significant presence at WTM London 2024, demonstrates its strategic focus on the global travel market. The 2024 delegation, led by His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), and Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of STA, included 61 key stakeholders and the largest number of hotel partners in the Saudi Pavilion. The Kingdom's pavilions have previously featured immersive experiences, including traditional music, virtual reality tours, and AI-powered assistants, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes. This continued engagement at WTM 2025 is expected to further solidify Saudi Arabia's position as a premier global tourism destination and foster new international partnerships.
5 Comments
Habibi
Just another attempt at sportswashing and tourism-washing their image. Don't be fooled.
ZmeeLove
It's great that they're opening up to the world and investing in tourism, but I hope they can balance this growth with genuine cultural preservation and not just create theme parks.
anubis
The ambition for 150 million visitors is staggering and shows immense potential for the travel industry. However, the environmental strain these giga-projects might cause is a serious concern.
paracelsus
Impressive growth figures and infrastructure plans are exciting for global connectivity. Yet, tourists need to be mindful of the different cultural norms and legal frameworks in the country.
anubis
Attracting so many visitors will certainly create jobs and economic opportunities. Still, the ethical questions surrounding the source of labor for these massive developments are hard to overlook.