The Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib, launched the Saudi Summer Program for 2024 under the slogan "It's Closer," which will continue for four months across 7 diverse tourist destinations. The program includes more than 550 tourism products and 150 special offers catering to various segments, including families, children, adventure enthusiasts, luxury seekers, and those interested in culture and history. This announcement was made during a celebration held on this occasion in Riyadh, attended by the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, and over 250 partners from the public and private sectors.
The Saudi Summer Program will kick off in seven unique tourist destinations: Asir, Al-Baha, Taif, a new destination along the Red Sea, in addition to Jeddah, Riyadh, and Al-Ula. This year's program will also witness the return of the Jeddah Season and the launch of the Asir Season, featuring numerous concerts, events, and products designed for families and children. Additionally, it will include the World Esports Championship in the capital and global boxing championships in Riyadh and Jeddah, along with many other products.
In his speech during the event, Minister Al-Khatib highlighted the global tourism trends, the growth driven by the Kingdom, and the record figures it has achieved in inbound tourism, placing it at the top of the United Nations tourism list and the G20 countries. He added: "The Saudi tourism system continues its efforts to establish Saudi Arabia's position on the world tourism map, promoting growth in the sector, and collaborating with partners from both the public and private sectors to offer the best initiatives and tourism programs, including the Saudi Summer Program for 2024. This comes in addition to achieving record numbers and accomplishments, with the number of domestic tourists reaching 81 million in 2023, who spent over 114 billion riyals, while 27 million international tourists visited the Kingdom and spent more than 141 billion riyals."
On his part, the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, stated: "Saudi tourism is experiencing significant development at all levels, and the tourism sector in the Kingdom has achieved great leaps in recent years, of which I have been a witness during my multiple visits to this hospitable country. Saudi Arabia has topped global indicators regarding tourist numbers, which has qualified it to lead the United Nations tourism organization for major tourist destinations." He further mentioned that "all these major achievements in Saudi tourism would not have been possible without sound planning by those in charge of the sector in the Kingdom and the vast resources it possesses, such as diverse climates and stunning natural landmarks, along with the generous Saudi people known for their hospitality, raising the bar for new and great achievements in Saudi tourism."
Fahd Hamid Al-Din, the CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority, explained: "As temperatures rise in the region's cities to high levels, the mountainous areas of Saudi Arabia enjoy cooler temperatures, with snowfall recorded in Al-Soudah yesterday. Through the promotional campaign for the Saudi Summer Program, we seek to highlight the competitive advantages of the destinations, as well as the climatic, natural, and cultural diversity." He added: "This year’s summer program includes more than 550 tourism products and 150 special offers designed in collaboration with the Authority's partners, featuring attractive offers in hotels, free flight tickets for children in cooperation with major travel and tourism companies, exceptional products during the Asir Season, and shopping offers during the Jeddah Season where partners cover the tax for tourists, in addition to many new experiences such as opening private beaches for families and children, as well as new private beaches for women."
The campaign slogan "It's Closer" represents an open invitation to explore the magic of Saudi destinations, characterized by diverse climatic, natural, and cultural features, along with a wealth of varied events and offerings and unparalleled atmospheres. This diversity is reflected in the integration of the slogan with simple phrases that highlight the advantages of each destination, such as "It's Closer," "It's Cooler," "It's Better," "It's Finer," and "It's More Affordable." The private sector is a key partner in the success of tourism programs, initiatives, and seasons, with the Saudi Tourism Authority eager to empower it by stimulating demand for products, packages, and offers that meet the expectations of tourists from all over the world.
The launch of this year's Saudi Summer Program comes at a time when visiting the Kingdom has become easier, smoother, and safer, with various facilitation measures in place, most notably the Gulf residents visa that allows multiple entries and a stay of up to 90 days within the year. Additionally, the electronic visa is available for citizens of 66 countries, the total cost of the electronic visa has been reduced by 20%, weekly flights from Gulf cities to Saudi Summer destinations have increased by 1100 flights, and hotel room availability is expected to see a rise of 25,000 rooms in 2024, contributing to increased value for money and price suitability for all segments and categories.
