The NTO participated at the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) leading a delegation of 72 suppliers. Saudi received 100 million tourists in 2023, a target initially set for 2030. The country has now revised its target to 150 million visits by 2030.
STA led the delegation of 72 partners from the tourism sector to ATM 2024 in Dubai that aimed at showcasing Saudi’s distinctive summer destinations and underlined Saudi’s status as a world-leading year-round tourism destination.
The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) marked the start of this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) by showcasing Saudi’s spectacular summer destinations to trade partners – as the country’s tourism sector continues to go from strength to strength.
Representatives from Saudi’s booming tourism ecosystem kicked-off the Middle East’s biggest travel and tourism trade show aiming to build awareness of Saudi’s unique and diverse summer destination offering, strengthen and establish new trade partnerships, and celebrate the remarkable year-on-year growth of the Saudi tourism sector.
The delegation aimed to showcase Saudi’s distinctive summer destinations to trade partners and consumers in the GCC region and underline Saudi’s status as a world-leading year-round tourism destination, with a strategic focus on priority markets like India and China.
Over the summer season, Saudi offers a unique and diverse range of activities and destinations for visitors including young families ranging from the pristine beaches of the Red Sea, the rich culture of Jeddah, and an events program like no other, including the Esports World Cup starting in Riyadh this July.
Saudi’s mountainous regions including the tranquil and picturesque destinations of Aseer, Taif, and Al Baha also provide a refreshing escape during the summer season with temperatures in the low 20s. These serene retreats are ideal for adventure travellers who seek natural beauty, wildlife, hiking trails, and cool breezes.
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of STA said “We’re delighted to be back at ATM this year to showcase Saudi as a unique summer destination, offering an action-packed events calendar, cool mountain regions for adventurer seekers, and pristine beaches for families and those looking to relax. The MEA and APAC markets are hugely important in our overarching tourism strategy with a combined 23 million visits last year, and we will be focusing on growing those numbers. Having welcomed over 100m tourists in 2023, Saudi is the land of now – offering growth and opportunities like no other to trade partners across the globe.”
Building on the success of last year’s presence at ATM, where over 50,000 visitors were welcomed at the Saudi stand, this year’s exhibit was set across three floors with partners showcasing hundreds of affordable and luxury bookable products for destinations such as Jeddah, AlUla, Aseer, Riyadh, and the Red Sea.
Notably, the country achieved a significant milestone by welcoming 100 million tourists in 2023. Together with partners, STA is building knowledge of Saudi’s destination offerings to consumers. This boom has continued in 2024, with the first quarter of the year witnessing a double-digit growth increase in tourists compared to the same period last year – bolstering Saudi’s position as a leading global tourism destination and driving progress towards its revised target of 150 million visits by 2030.