Saudi Arabia Calls for Tourism as Economic Infrastructure at WEF Davos 2026
At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, delivered a strong call to action for global leaders: tourism must be recognised and managed as core economic infrastructure to unlock sustainable growth, resilience, and human connection in a rapidly fragmenting world.
During his engagements at the Forum, the Minister underscored that tourism can no longer be viewed as an optional or secondary industry. Instead, when strategically planned and effectively governed, it functions as a critical system that supports economic diversification, attracts long-term capital, and generates inclusive employment across regions.
“With global travel expected to reach nearly two billion international arrivals by 2030, the real issue is not growth itself, but how responsibly that growth is managed,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb. “When tourism is designed as economic, social, and cultural infrastructure, it delivers lasting value—strengthening resilience and diversification rather than simply enabling cross-border movement.”
Drawing on Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation, the Minister highlighted tourism’s central role in reshaping the Kingdom’s economy. In 2025 alone, Saudi Arabia welcomed 30 million inbound visitors, with ambitions to reach 150 million annually by 2030. The Kingdom is now the world’s largest single investor in tourism, with extensive investments spanning destination development, aviation, digital ecosystems, and workforce development. Tourism currently contributes close to 5% of direct GDP and supports more than one million jobs nationwide.
He pointed to flagship destinations such as AlUla, Diriyah, and the Red Sea as examples of a master-planned development model focused on sustainability, safety, governance, and community wellbeing. This integrated approach, he explained, has boosted investor confidence, encouraged long-term capital inflows, and ensured that tourism growth aligns with cultural preservation and local benefit.
At Davos, the Minister also spotlighted Beyond Tourism, a multi-sector initiative developed in partnership with the World Economic Forum. The initiative seeks to reposition tourism from an industry-level conversation to a system-wide leadership priority by aligning policy, investment, and innovation across sustainability, inclusion, resilience, and economic impact.
“Despite being a USD 10 trillion global industry, tourism remains undervalued in economic policymaking,” His Excellency noted. “It is still too often excluded from infrastructure, trade, and industrial strategies. Elevating tourism means recognising it as a driver of productivity, resilience, and connectivity—supported by coherent policies and data-led frameworks.”
Saudi Arabia further highlighted TOURISE, a global platform designed to translate ambition into action by bringing together governments, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate collaboration and implementation. Since its inception, TOURISE has convened nearly 10,000 leaders from over 100 countries and helped catalyse more than USD 113 billion in tourism-related investment. The next global TOURISE convening is scheduled for March 2027.
Globally, travel and tourism account for around 10% of world GDP and support more than 357 million jobs, making it one of the most inclusive sectors worldwide. Beyond its economic contribution, the Minister emphasised tourism’s role in strengthening people-to-people connections at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
Speaking at the Forum, His Excellency highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to using tourism as a tool for global benefit—not solely national growth. He urged governments and international institutions to elevate tourism within economic and infrastructure strategies, stressing its ability to foster growth, resilience, and international cooperation.
“One of our greatest responsibilities is to look beyond ourselves,” he said. “Nearly 80% of countries—particularly across Africa and Latin America—remain underrepresented in global tourism flows. We want to work with these regions to help them develop their tourism sectors and strengthen their economies for shared global benefit.
“In many cases, tourism helps sustain dialogue when formal diplomatic channels are strained. It builds trust, understanding, and human connection. When managed responsibly, it can serve as a stabilising force and a multiplier for peace.”
Throughout the week in Davos, Saudi Arabia’s delegation engaged in open and constructive discussions with leaders from government, business, civil society, and academia to advance global stability and prosperity. Reflecting the Kingdom’s role as an active and responsible member of the international community, the delegation showcased Saudi Vision 2030 as a model for transformative, growth-driven development.
Saudi House also returned to Davos following its establishment by the Ministry of Economy and Planning in 2025. Over the course of the week, it hosted more than 20 sessions—including over 10 World Economic Forum–accredited discussions—across six themes: Bold Vision, Insights for Impact, People and Human Capability, Quality of Life, Investment and Collaboration, and Welcoming the World. The platform also launched NextOn, a new series of thought-provoking and educational talks featuring global leaders and innovators.
During his engagements at the Forum, the Minister underscored that tourism can no longer be viewed as an optional or secondary industry. Instead, when strategically planned and effectively governed, it functions as a critical system that supports economic diversification, attracts long-term capital, and generates inclusive employment across regions.
“With global travel expected to reach nearly two billion international arrivals by 2030, the real issue is not growth itself, but how responsibly that growth is managed,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb. “When tourism is designed as economic, social, and cultural infrastructure, it delivers lasting value—strengthening resilience and diversification rather than simply enabling cross-border movement.”
Drawing on Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation, the Minister highlighted tourism’s central role in reshaping the Kingdom’s economy. In 2025 alone, Saudi Arabia welcomed 30 million inbound visitors, with ambitions to reach 150 million annually by 2030. The Kingdom is now the world’s largest single investor in tourism, with extensive investments spanning destination development, aviation, digital ecosystems, and workforce development. Tourism currently contributes close to 5% of direct GDP and supports more than one million jobs nationwide.
He pointed to flagship destinations such as AlUla, Diriyah, and the Red Sea as examples of a master-planned development model focused on sustainability, safety, governance, and community wellbeing. This integrated approach, he explained, has boosted investor confidence, encouraged long-term capital inflows, and ensured that tourism growth aligns with cultural preservation and local benefit.
At Davos, the Minister also spotlighted Beyond Tourism, a multi-sector initiative developed in partnership with the World Economic Forum. The initiative seeks to reposition tourism from an industry-level conversation to a system-wide leadership priority by aligning policy, investment, and innovation across sustainability, inclusion, resilience, and economic impact.
“Despite being a USD 10 trillion global industry, tourism remains undervalued in economic policymaking,” His Excellency noted. “It is still too often excluded from infrastructure, trade, and industrial strategies. Elevating tourism means recognising it as a driver of productivity, resilience, and connectivity—supported by coherent policies and data-led frameworks.”
Saudi Arabia further highlighted TOURISE, a global platform designed to translate ambition into action by bringing together governments, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate collaboration and implementation. Since its inception, TOURISE has convened nearly 10,000 leaders from over 100 countries and helped catalyse more than USD 113 billion in tourism-related investment. The next global TOURISE convening is scheduled for March 2027.
Globally, travel and tourism account for around 10% of world GDP and support more than 357 million jobs, making it one of the most inclusive sectors worldwide. Beyond its economic contribution, the Minister emphasised tourism’s role in strengthening people-to-people connections at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
Speaking at the Forum, His Excellency highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to using tourism as a tool for global benefit—not solely national growth. He urged governments and international institutions to elevate tourism within economic and infrastructure strategies, stressing its ability to foster growth, resilience, and international cooperation.
“One of our greatest responsibilities is to look beyond ourselves,” he said. “Nearly 80% of countries—particularly across Africa and Latin America—remain underrepresented in global tourism flows. We want to work with these regions to help them develop their tourism sectors and strengthen their economies for shared global benefit.
“In many cases, tourism helps sustain dialogue when formal diplomatic channels are strained. It builds trust, understanding, and human connection. When managed responsibly, it can serve as a stabilising force and a multiplier for peace.”
Throughout the week in Davos, Saudi Arabia’s delegation engaged in open and constructive discussions with leaders from government, business, civil society, and academia to advance global stability and prosperity. Reflecting the Kingdom’s role as an active and responsible member of the international community, the delegation showcased Saudi Vision 2030 as a model for transformative, growth-driven development.
Saudi House also returned to Davos following its establishment by the Ministry of Economy and Planning in 2025. Over the course of the week, it hosted more than 20 sessions—including over 10 World Economic Forum–accredited discussions—across six themes: Bold Vision, Insights for Impact, People and Human Capability, Quality of Life, Investment and Collaboration, and Welcoming the World. The platform also launched NextOn, a new series of thought-provoking and educational talks featuring global leaders and innovators.
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