RIYADH: The ongoing Riyadh Season pushed up hotel occupancy rate in the capital city to a historical 90 percent in October and November, according to a report published in Riyadh newspaper.
The report said some hotels in the capital city also exceeded 100 percent occupancy during the same period. The upswing in Saudi tourism is also attributed to the various easy tourist visa options available for citizens of 49 countries.
The Riyadh Season and the Saudi tourist e-visa system have helped spur the growth of hotel reservations and restaurant business in the capital city.
It would be pertinent to mention here that Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin in May earlier this year had said the the fourth quarter of this year could be a turning point for Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Some hotels in the capital city also exceeded 100 percent occupancy during the same period.
• The Riyadh Season and the Saudi tourist e-visa system have helped spur the growth of hotel reservations and restaurant business in the capital city.
Saudi Arabia has opened international tourism offices in major countries including China and Russia, and is targeting 28 markets in a global marketing push.
Saudi Arabia opened up to international tourism in September 2019 and has since announced a number of megaprojects to attract visitors, including a $530 million fund to develop key destinations across the Kingdom. Riyadh aims to raise the contribution of its tourism sector to its gross domestic product from 3 percent to 10 percent, in a bid to modernize its economy and veer away from oil dependence.
Market research firm Euromonitor International estimated in March that inbound tourism spending in Saudi Arabia would reach $25.3 billion by 2025, recovering from the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Saudi domestic tourism exceeded expectations during the pandemic, despite the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) describing 2020 as “the worst year on record in the history of tourism.”
