Coming soon from The Moodie Davitt Report. Click to enlarge.
SAUDI ARABIA. The Moodie Davitt Report is pleased to announce a new publication that will explore Saudia Arabia’s burgeoning aviation, travel and tourism sectors with a special emphasis on retail, mixed-leisure and other related commercial revenue sectors.
The Saudi Travel Ecosystem Report, to be published in June in Arabic and English, will take a deep dive into one of the world’s most exciting, investment-heavy and resurgent travel-related markets.
As revealed by The Moodie Davitt Report, Riyadh Airports Company last week reported that duty free sales at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport reached a new all-time high in December 2021, exceeding pre-pandemic December 2019 figures by nearly +10%. In addition, the highest single-day sales number since August 2019 was recorded on 23 December.
Tourism development in Saudi Arabia is one of the Kingdom’s key strategic targets, with the objective of delivering 100 million tourists by 2030, from 42 million mostly religious pilgrims in 2019.
The hugely ambitious goal is supported by a robust plan, budget and infrastructure investment to drive strong and sustained growth and international visitors to some of the extraordinary attractions that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has to offer.
These include AlUla [an ancient city dubbed by Saudis as ‘The world’s masterpiece’ and home to Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage site -Ed]; the Edge of the World [real name Jebel Fihrayn, a dramatic geological wonder in the rocky desert northwest of Riyadh that derives its nickname from the uninterrupted view of the horizon it offers atop 300 metre-high cliffs, which overlook the surrounding plain] and the Riyadh Season programme of events.
The wonders and diversity of AlUla include The Winter at Tantora Festival, a three-month celebration of Saudi culture, art, heritage, sport and music (international and local). Archaeology and cultural workshops are hosted at the heritage sites, complemented by live immersion shows at AlUla Old Town and in the oasis. Source: Experiencealula.com
Importantly, the Kingdom introduced the Tourism Visa in 2019, which has now reopened from the COVID period. The tourist visa process only takes a few minutes and can be done over a mobile phone, including biometrics.
The mood of excitement in the country was summed up recently by Riyadh Airports Company General Manager Commercial Development Abdulaziz Al Asaker during an interview with The Moodie Davitt Report.
“The Kingdom of Saudia Arabia is not like before and not as most people expect,” he said. “The pace of change is incredible and billions of SAR [the Saudi riyal currency] are being invested in infrastructure to drive future growth. Saudi Arabia is definitely a place to watch, and of course visit for the culture, hospitality and opportunities.”
*For editorial details please contact Martin Moodie (Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com). For commercial opportunities it’s Irene Revilla (Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com) or Sarah Genest (Sarah@MoodieDavittReport.com).
