Latest news with #MahmoudAbdulhadi
Arab News
12-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia projects 8% tourism growth in 2025 as sector overhaul gains pace
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's tourism sector is projected to grow by 8 percent in 2025, building on a year of record-breaking performance and continued progress under Vision 2030, according to a top official. Speaking at the Future Hospitality Summit in Riyadh, Mahmoud Abdulhadi, deputy minister for destination enablement at the Ministry of Tourism, said direct tourism spending rose 14 percent in 2024, compared to the SR256 billion ($68.26 billion) recorded in 2023. '2023 was our first year that we hit 100 million. While I can't tell you the exact numbers, hopefully, some of you can do the math. We are going to see growth this year. We're talking 8 percent growth in the number of visitors,' he said. 'We delivered SR256 billion worth of direct spend in 2023, and from 2023 to 2024, we're looking at roughly 14 percent growth in spend.' He added, 'There was some healthy skepticism around some of the objectives and what we wanted to do. But I think, as Saudis, we have proven time and time again that when we make promises, we deliver, and Vision 2030 is no exception to this.' Abdulhadi noted the Kingdom's broader economic shift, stating that 50-51 percent of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product now comes from the non-oil sector, with 47 percent contributed by the private sector. 'Hospitality is in our DNA — something we've been doing for thousands of years,' he said. Sultan Bader Al-Otaibi, CEO of Taiba Investments, highlighted Saudi Arabia's shift from traditional hospitality to culturally rich, tech-driven, and sustainable experiences. With 2,000 new rooms in the pipeline across Jeddah, Riyadh, and Medina, Taiba Investments is playing a… — Future Hospitality Summit (@FuturHospSummit) May 12, 2025 He further emphasized the growing role of leisure tourism in driving sectoral change, stating: 'Leisure today accounts for, if we're looking at our domestic visitors, over 35 percent of visitors and over 30 percent of spend.' For international visitors, he noted that leisure contributes over 20 percent of both arrivals and spending. 'We've had a major shift in how we do things, what we do, and it's delivering in terms of the numbers,' Abdulhadi said. Structural reforms have played a key role, he said, including a 70 percent reduction in hotel operation fees since 2019 and streamlined licensing procedures, which led to a 168 percent increase in licensed tour guides. A new hospitality incentive program targeting emerging destinations has attracted nearly SR3 billion in private sector investment. 'It is our ambition that tourism investment happens without somebody talking to the ministry or a government entity saying how, where, and help,' Abdulhadi said. 'So, once we reach that position of maturity, our role moves from facilitator to pure regulator.' Opening the second day of the summit, Jonathan Worsley, chairman and CEO of The Bench, a hospitality investment and aviation development business events organizer, underscored the sector's momentum, citing the launch of Riyadh Air, which aims to serve 100 international destinations by 2030. 'They're playing a crucial role in developing the tourism strategy for Vision 2030,' he said. Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid, secretary general of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of Al Khozama Investment Co., emphasized the cultural transformation driving the sector. 'Saudi Arabia is no longer just about infrastructure and service,' he said. 'It's about identity, culture, talent, and future leadership.' He added: 'In the coming days, we will explore many of the challenges and opportunities ahead — and most importantly, how to develop the human capital needed to sustain this extraordinary momentum.' From the private sector, Sultan Bader Al-Otaibi, CEO of Taiba Investments, announced plans to open over 2,000 rooms across Saudi cities in 2025. 'We believe hospitality is more than business — it's a way to connect with people and create a memory,' he said. Opening Remarks from HH Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid Al Saud HH Prince Bandar opened FHS Saudi Arabia 2025 by highlighting the Kingdom's shift in hospitality—from infrastructure and service to identity, culture, and human development. He stressed the importance of… — Future Hospitality Summit (@FuturHospSummit) May 12, 2025 The company's first opening will be the soft launch of Saudi Arabia's first Rixos hotel in Jeddah, followed by Makarem Burj Al Madinah and Novotel Al Madinah, two flagship properties expanding the group's domestic and international brand partnerships. Coinciding with the summit, Knight Frank released its Saudi Arabia Hospitality Market Review 2025, offering fresh insight into the industry's trajectory. According to the report, the Kingdom's hospitality market is expected to reach 362,000 hotel keys by 2030. Currently, 167,500 keys are in operation, with an additional 99,500 under construction or in the final planning stages. Of the pipeline, 78 percent is expected to fall into the luxury, upper-upscale, or upscale categories, while 61 percent of existing inventory already fits within those segments. Saudi Arabia recorded its highest-ever travel surplus in 2024 at SR49.8 billion, up from SR46.2 billion in 2023, driven by a 13.8 percent increase in inbound visitor spending. Average hotel occupancy in March stood at 70 percent, with Madinah leading at 81 percent. Religious tourism also surged, with 35.8 million pilgrims performing Umrah in 2024 — a 33 percent year-on-year increase — including 16.9 million international pilgrims. The Hajj quota for 2025 has been raised to 2 million, up 11 percent from 2024. Giga-projects such as NEOM, Rua Al Madinah, Jabal Omar, and the Red Sea Project are projected to deliver 252,000 hotel keys in the Holy Cities by 2030, with 64 percent of them in the four- and five-star categories. With a national target of 150 million annual visits by 2030, Saudi Arabia is integrating its tourism, religious, and hospitality strategies to cement its status as a leading global destination.
Syyaha
09-04-2025
- Business
- Syyaha
Hotel and Hospitality Expo Saudi Arabia Opens with Experts Predicting Kingdom to Reimagine Tourism
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 9, 2025: The 13th edition of the Hotel & Hospitality Expo Saudi Arabia opened with thousands of decision makers, changemakers and disruptors convening to explore, discuss and do business amid the drive to redefine and reimagine hospitality and tourism in the Kingdom. The three-day expo, officially opened in the presence of Mahmoud Abdulhadi, Deputy Minister of Tourism Destinations Enablement, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Fahd bin Mansour Al Hashem, Assistant Deputy Minister for Investment Development, Ministry of Investment Saudi Arabia (MISA), will set the tone for the next chapter in Saudi Arabia's evolution as a global touristic hub. A captivating opening day on the high-powered Hospitality Leaders' Summit stage saw industry experts examine the Kingdom's evolution and what it has to offer for domestic and international visitors. In the opening panel discussion titled 'Saudi-ously Experiential: Shaping Cultural Journeys, not Just Stays', Mohammed Al-Basrawi, CEO of Domestic Tourism at the Saudi Tourism Authority, told delegates that the next five years leading up to the Vision 2030 deadline will be critical in reshaping the Kingdom's tourism sector. He emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving the goals of the hospitality and tourism sectors. Echoing those thoughts, fellow panelist Dr. Fahad Bin Mishait, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Investment Company', Asfar, – a company fully owned by the Public Investment Fund that collaborates with private sector partners to create destinations across the Kingdom – added that with today's travellers seeking more immersive hospitality experiences, the key lies in offering services that meet the needs of both local and international tourists. He stressed that building hotels alone is not enough to encourage longer stays and drive economic growth. Dr. Bin Mishait noted that promoting remote cities comes with certain challenges, but also highlighted their unique advantages compared to larger, more well-known cities. He explained that while three days may be enough to explore a major city, his team can design a customized programme of integrated activities in destinations such as Hail — located between the Shammar and Salma mountains — offering guests a rich experience that can extend beyond a week. Ultimately, it all comes down to how these experiences are curated, marketed, and delivered, he said. Fahad AloBailan Group CEO Baan Holding, meanwhile, said Saudi Arabia has a distinct advantage as a hospitality player because it offers different cultures, different food and dynamics in different parts of the country, feeding visitor demand for different experiences. That local experience and flavour in hospitality is crucial, said Abdulrahman, CEO of Dan Company, with people often willing to pay 10 percent more to try local food. A Real Shift in the Hospitality Sector In another thought-provoking session titled 'Skyline to Stay-Line: Urban Expansion Reshaping Saudi Hospitality', Mohammad Haj Hassan, Country Head, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, EMEA, and Nadeem Zaman, Group Chief Strategy Officer, Rua Al Madinah, discussed how there had been a 'real shift' in the Kingdom's hospitality sector in recent years. 'Most of the tourism in the past was a few businessmen coming in for a few days. The announcement of Vision 2030 provided that catalyst for change, and it drove a massive shift, along with the opening of the economy, the industry really picked up,' said Zaman, adding that hotel keys had risen from about 100,000 to more than 400,000. 'It is across different asset classes that we've had a real shift.' The hospitality leaders outlined how initiatives, including speed of transit through the Kingdom's airports, had provided a real boost to the sector, resulting in increased visitors, talent and investment. 'Government initiatives have really helped diversify the hospitality industry,' said Hassan. Nowadays, he said, visitors can transit through the airport in 15-20 minutes, adding that the additions of cultural and ecotourism have complemented religious tourism in the Kingdom. Hassan also pointed out that such is the interest in the Kingdom, there is currently not enough supply to meet demand. Organized by dmg events & KAOUN International, the exhibition runs until April 10 at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and has the strategic backing of the Kingdom's Ministry of Investment and Ministry of Tourism. With more than 135 exhibitors from 19 countries, the show offers industry professionals a dedicated platform to explore advanced technologies, forge business connections, and gain valuable insights from more than 50 expert speakers at the annual Hospitality Leaders' Summit. 'The expo has seen strong growth in recent years and the opening day of this year's event has continued that trajectory, from the opening to some truly insightful sessions on the summit stage, along with the energy on the exhibition floor.. These are interesting times for the Kingdom's hotel and hospitality sector, and it is an honour to be able to enable and facilitate such energy, dialogue and networking. We look forward to seeing what the rest of the week brings,' said Jasmeet Bakshi, Vice President, Design and Hospitality at dmg events.
Saudi Gazette
09-04-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Hotel and Hospitality Expo Saudi Arabia opens with experts predicting Kingdom to reimagine tourism
The 13th edition of the Hotel & Hospitality Expo Saudi Arabia opened with thousands of decision makers, changemakers and disruptors convening to explore, discuss and do business amid the drive to redefine and reimagine hospitality and tourism in the Kingdom. The three-day expo, officially opened in the presence of Mahmoud Abdulhadi, Deputy Minister of Tourism Destinations Enablement, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Fahd bin Mansour Al Hashem, Assistant Deputy Minister for Investment Development, Ministry of Investment Saudi Arabia (MISA), will set the tone for the next chapter in Saudi Arabia's evolution as a global touristic hub. A captivating opening day on the high-powered Hospitality Leaders' Summit stage saw industry experts examine the Kingdom's evolution and what it has to offer for domestic and international visitors. In the opening panel discussion titled 'Saudi-ously Experiential: Shaping Cultural Journeys, not Just Stays', Mohammed Al-Basrawi, CEO of Domestic Tourism at the Saudi Tourism Authority, told delegates that the next five years leading up to the Vision 2030 deadline will be critical in reshaping the Kingdom's tourism sector. He emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving the goals of the hospitality and tourism sectors. Echoing those thoughts, fellow panelist Dr. Fahad Bin Mishait, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Investment Company', Asfar, - a company fully owned by the Public Investment Fund that collaborates with private sector partners to create destinations across the Kingdom - added that with today's travellers seeking more immersive hospitality experiences, the key lies in offering services that meet the needs of both local and international tourists. He stressed that building hotels alone is not enough to encourage longer stays and drive economic growth. Dr. Bin Mishait noted that promoting remote cities comes with certain challenges, but also highlighted their unique advantages compared to larger, more well-known cities. He explained that while three days may be enough to explore a major city, his team can design a customized programme of integrated activities in destinations such as Hail — located between the Shammar and Salma mountains — offering guests a rich experience that can extend beyond a it all comes down to how these experiences are curated, marketed, and delivered, he AloBailan Group CEO Baan Holding, meanwhile, said Saudi Arabia has a distinct advantage as a hospitality player because it offers different cultures, different food and dynamics in different parts of the country, feeding visitor demand for different local experience and flavour in hospitality is crucial, said Abdulrahman, CEO of Dan Company, with people often willing to pay 10 percent more to try local another thought-provoking session titled 'Skyline to Stay-Line: Urban Expansion Reshaping Saudi Hospitality', Mohammad Haj Hassan, Country Head, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, EMEA, and Nadeem Zaman, Group Chief Strategy Officer, Rua Al Madinah, discussed how there had been a 'real shift' in the Kingdom's hospitality sector in recent years.'Most of the tourism in the past was a few businessmen coming in for a few days. The announcement of Vision 2030 provided that catalyst for change, and it drove a massive shift, along with the opening of the economy, the industry really picked up,' said Zaman, adding that hotel keys had risen from about 100,000 to more than 400,000. 'It is across different asset classes that we've had a real shift.''Government initiatives have really helped diversify the hospitality industry,' said Hassan. Nowadays, he said, visitors can transit through the airport in 15-20 minutes, adding that the additions of cultural and ecotourism have complemented religious tourism in the Kingdom. Hassan also pointed out that such is the interest in the Kingdom, there is currently not enough supply to meet by dmg events & KAOUN International, the exhibition runs until April 10 at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre, and has the strategic backing of the Kingdom's Ministry of Investment and Ministry of Tourism. With more than 135 exhibitors from 19 countries, the show offers industry professionals a dedicated platform to explore advanced technologies, forge business connections, and gain valuable insights from more than 50 expert speakers at the annual Hospitality Leaders' Summit 'The expo has seen strong growth in recent years and the opening day of this year's event has continued that trajectory, from the opening to some truly insightful sessions on the summit stage, along with the energy on the exhibition floor.. These are interesting times for the Kingdom's hotel and hospitality sector, and it is an honour to be able to enable and facilitate such energy, dialogue and networking. We look forward to seeing what the rest of the week brings,' said Jasmeet Bakshi, Vice President, Design and Hospitality at dmg events.
