According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) index, Saudi Arabia ranked 13th globally, up 12 places, among the top countries receiving international tourists in 2022. In 2019, it ranked 25th.

International tourists visiting the Kingdom, for all travel purposes, will hit 16.6 million in 2022, the WTO reported.

According to the World Tourism Barometer report for May 2023 issued by the WTO, the Kingdom advanced 16 places in the international tourism revenue index, ranking eleventh in 2022, up from 27th in 2019.

A total of 7.8 million international visitors visited the Kingdom for various reasons during the first quarter of 2023, showing that the tourism sector is continuing to make progress. This represents the sector's highest quarterly performance, up 64% compared to the same period in 2019. The country also reached second on the list of the fastest-growing tourism destinations during the period, according to the latest data from WTO.

According to Ahmed Al-Khateeb, this achievement is a culmination of the leadership's directives to continue enhancing the Kingdom's position on the global tourism map, as well as increasing its contribution to the Kingdom's gross domestic product under the Kingdom's Vision 2030. It is a continuation of the Kingdom's other achievements in various fields.

Among the reasons for these achievements are simplified travel visa procedures, promotional campaigns in target countries, and the diversity of tourism destinations in the Kingdom.

According to the minister, the ministry will renew its cooperation with its public and private partners to turn the Kingdom into a global tourism center.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia achieved a new position on the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI), ranking 33rd globally, an increase of ten places.