Saudi Arabia ranked as the top Arab country with the most tourists during the first nine months of 2022, with 18 million visitors to the country.
The figures issued by the United Nations World Tourism Organization show that the Saudi Arabia attracted more than 18 million visitors in the first three quarters of 2022, followed by the UAE with 14.8 million tourists, and Morocco with 11 million tourists.
Saudi government officials aim to attract 100 million visitors annually by the end of this decade.
Given these unprecedented numbers, the sector will represent the major focus during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will be held at the Dubai World Trade Center from May 1-4.
This year’s Saudi Summit is scheduled to take place on the global stage of the Arabian Travel Market, during which the importance of the kingdom in reshaping the regional scene of travel and tourism will be highlighted now that mega projects are in full swing.
A group of Saudi exhibiting companies will participate in the Arabian Travel Market 2023 and the Saudi summit, including: Saudi Airlines, Flynas, Asma Hospitality, Ain Riyadh, Saudi Amad for Airport Services and Air Transport, iTrip, Dar Hospitality, and many others.
An ideal new platform to talk travel
The Saudi Arabia Summit 2023 will provide an ideal platform from which travel professionals and policy makers from across the Middle East and beyond can explore opportunities and challenges in the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector, said the Exhibition Director for the Middle East, ATM Danielle Curtis.
She expects Saudi Arabia to be strongly represented at the next ATM edition, thanks to upcoming mega developments such as the NEOM and the Red Sea projects, as well as the kingdom’s latest visa reforms and amendments related to the travel sector.
Tourism spending in Saudi Arabia also rose last year, reaching US$7.2 billion in the first half of 2022, according to figures released by the country’s Ministry of Investment.
Leading travel experts from around the world will highlight these statistics as part of their presentations, sessions and panel discussions focusing on Saudi Arabia.
The ATM 2023 event explores how to develop innovative sustainable travel trends in line with this year’s theme of “Working towards Net Zero Emissions”, allowing delegates to define growth strategies while providing an ideal platform for regional experts to explore a sustainable future ahead of the Climate Conference “COP28”, which will be held in November 2023 in Dubai Expo City.
The Arabian Travel Market announced adding a sustainability category to the awards granted to exhibitors, and for the first time in its history.
Exhibiting companies will be recognized based on the extent to which they consider the environmental impact, as well as their efforts to reduce their carbon emissions.
The event is being held in partnership with the Dubai World Trade Center and its strategic partners are Dubai Tourism as the destination partner, Emirates Airlines as the official airline partner, IHG Hotels and Resorts as the official hotel partner, and Al Rais Travels as the official partner of the Dubai Multi Commodities Center.
