Saudi is gunning for holidaymakers over pilgrims in its tourism revamp

Saudi Arabia is working to diversify its tourism industry through leisure offerings, with an eye to attract repeat holiday visitors with luxury gigaprojects, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb told Bloomberg. The strategy works towards a goal of 150 mn annual visitors, including 50 mn international travelers, by 2030, the minister said (watch, runtime: 11:36).

The Mishal Husain Show episode highlighted the structural hurdles Saudi Arabia faces in competing with regional hubs like Dubai. Steven Cook, senior fellow for MENA studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, argues that while the Kingdom has a vibrant commercial economy, it still lacks the deep-seated institutions of a true market economy. He warned that investors operating outside the hydrocarbon sector need “rational investment laws,” not just commercial prospects.

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