Religious travelers helping to swell tourist numbers in the Kingdom

Wednesday, 21 Feb, 2012 0

Is Saudi Arabia in your own travel plans?

It is for many others interested in religion, business travel and tourism in general.

The number of tourists heading to the Kingdom is expected to reach 15.8 million by 2014, up from around 13 million in 2010, according to international industry consultant Business Monitor International (BMI).

But that’s only the start.

The tourism authority has announced it aims to attract 88 million tourists by 2020 as the kingdom focuses on developing religious tourism and business travel in particular.

Religious tourism remains the main reason for overseas visitors to Saudi. More than half of inbound visitors travel to Mecca and Medina, making it a major focus for major investment in hotels and leisure development.

"Saudi Arabia continues to focus on its tourism industry as it looks to diversify away from its dependence on oil, with revenues from tourism accounting for around 3.6% of GDP," said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

The Kingdom issued 9.5 million religious visas last year, up 11.3% from 2010, according to the Ministry of Hajj website, with Umrah visas rising by one million in 2011 from 2010. Nearly two million foreign pilgrims arrived to perform Haj last year.

Saudi Arabia’s government is undertaking major infrastructure initiatives to provide better services to pilgrims including enhancement of the Holy Mosque in Mecca as well as expanding and upgrading King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, and Madinah Airport, as well as an aggressive marketing strategy.

By David Wilkening

David

We work with reliable data providers with global coverage, that guarantee data representativeness as well as compliance with International Personal...

We’re here to provide the very best experience in train travel. From booking your ticket, to asking us a question...

Why choose Titan Travel? There are some great travel companies out there – so why Titan? Well, we’re one of...

Here at Elegant Resorts, luxury travel is in our DNA. True pioneers in the industry, we were the first specialist...

Central Florida’s Polk County is conveniently located between Orlando and Tampa, and an easy drive to Central Florida attractions and...

From the beginning, ATI’s philosophy has been “innovation, not duplication.“ Developing specialized technology solutions to connect over 30,000 accommodation, attracti...

To say Sweden is fit for a fairy tale is not overstating it—the palaces dazzle, the boreal forests are brimming...

Since 1932, P&O Cruises has offered Aussies and Kiwis the opportunity to take to the seas and have the holiday...

Virtuoso is the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with more than 20,000 advisors. We...

Greater Fort Lauderdale’s assortment of adventures awaits you. Whether you want to relax on the beach as the sound of...

Why Avalon Waterways: Happiness flows on an Avalon river cruise. From Asia to South America and Europe to the Nile,...

Our Mission Ecommerce has transformative powers, and we believe everyone should be able to take part. But outdated solutions and...

Hilton is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,300 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in...