More than 30 million foreigners flew into Saudi Arabia last year, a new record that edges the country a little closer to its target of 70 million visitors by 2030.
The government is spending around $500 billion on hotels, resorts, and tourist attractions to lure more holiday-makers.
Billions more are being poured into aviation and events designed to capture the world’s attention, like the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the 2030 men’s soccer World Cup.
One question is whether there’s room for Saudi to compete with established Gulf carriers in the UAE and Qatar. Saudi’s General Authority of Civil Aviation’s head said at Davos that the competition isn’t direct: The kingdom wants people to leave the airport and see the country, rather than just wait for a connecting flight. The middle classes of India and China are key targets, he said.
