Saudi Tourism Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mastercard to strengthen the kingdom’s position as a global tourism destination.
Under the agreement, targeted international campaigns will be rolled out across selected source markets to boost inbound tourism. Mastercard will provide STA with insights from its Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), including travel trends, spending patterns and visitor segmentation to help inform tourism policy and marketing strategies. The data will also support travel flow analysis and event impact measurement.
Mastercard will also leverage its Priceless platform to introduce exclusive cultural experiences across the kingdom’s heritage attractions. Loyalty and rewards programmes from the credit card firm will be promoted to attract spending and visitation. The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s goals of attracting more than 150 million visitors by 2030.
Abdullah Aldakhil, Official Spokesperson for the Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “The collaboration between the Saudi Tourism Authority and Mastercard will help attract more visitors and promote Saudi’s destinations across priority markets in the GCC, the region, and internationally.” He added that the new collaborations form part of STA’s broader strategy to build global partnerships that support its tourism objectives.
The development comes as the kingdom continues efforts to promote visitation through new integrated travel-and-visa packages. Saudi has introduced bundled booking options for travellers from seven initial markets, including Egypt, Jordan, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and Mexico, allowing eligible visitors to secure flights, accommodation and electronic tourist visas through a single transaction.
Credit: connectingtravel
