Saudi Arabia unveils 50-year tourism roadmap to shape industry’s future

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has officially launched a comprehensive 50-year tourism roadmap to redefine the global travel industry’s future, following the kingdom’s remarkable achievement of welcoming nearly 100 million visitors.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al Khateeb unveiled TOURISE, a bold, industry-defining platform to drive this vision forward. Scheduled to take place from November 11 to 13 in Riyadh, TOURISE 2025 will convene leading experts, investors, and innovators from both the public and private sectors to collaboratively forge sustainable and inclusive pathways for tourism development worldwide.

Minister Al Khateeb emphasized that tourism has evolved into one of the most interconnected and rapidly changing sectors in the global economy. “The future demands adaptation to technological advancements, evolving tourist expectations, and an urgent focus on sustainability and inclusivity,” he said.

The summit offers a rare opportunity for cross-sector collaboration, bringing together visionaries to craft innovative solutions to the sector’s challenges. TOURISE is set to introduce its first Awards program, recognizing excellence in sustainability, digital transformation, heritage preservation, and human capacity development within destinations and organizations.

Additionally, TOURISE also aims to maintain momentum year-round through digital platforms and multi-sector partnerships designed to amplify the long-term impact of the initiative.

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has seen rapid expansion, attracting approximately 30 million international tourists in 2024 and contributing 5 per cent to the kingdom’s GDP. Launching this ambitious roadmap will further solidify the country’s role as a rising leader in shaping the future of global tourism.

 Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE