Under the auspices of His Excellency the Minister of Tourism, the Saudi Tourism Authority unveiled its extensive 2024 summer initiative, “Saudi Summer is Next Door,” at a prestigious event. Spanning four months until the end of September, the initiative will cover seven destinations and showcase over 550 unique tourism offerings alongside more than 150 exclusive deals designed for families and various interest groups including adventurers, luxury seekers, and culture and heritage aficionados.
The launch event, orchestrated by the Saudi Tourism Authority and inaugurated by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors, was attended by the Secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, along with more than 250 pivotal partners from both the public and private sectors, and prominent media and opinion leaders. Attendees received detailed insights into the program’s extensive offerings.
The 2024 Saudi Summer Program will be active across multiple locations: Aseer, Al Baha, Taif, the Red Sea – a newly added location, Jeddah, Riyadh, and AlUla. Highlights include the return of the Jeddah Season and the debut of the Aseer Season, both featuring a plethora of family-oriented activities and events.
Furthermore, the summer initiative will be enlivened with major events including the inaugural Esports World Cup in Riyadh, showcasing top global Esports talents over an eight-week tournament, and several boxing events in Riyadh and Jeddah.
At the launch, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb delivered a keynote speech detailing current global tourism trends, the tourism sector’s growth within the Kingdom, and the unprecedented surge in tourist arrivals that has positioned Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the UN World Tourism and G20 nations listings.
His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, added, ” Saudi Arabia is witnessing a transformative period in tourism, driven by our vision to position the Kingdom as a premier global destination. The Saudi Summer Program 2024 is our commitment to showcasing the rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and unparalleled hospitality that Saudi Arabia offers. We invite local and international tourists to experience the diversity of our seven unique destinations and take advantage of the exceptional offers and packages designed to create unforgettable memories. This initiative, supported by our strategic partnerships and groundbreaking initiatives like the eVisa and increased flight connectivity, demonstrates our dedication to making Saudi Arabia more accessible and appealing to tourists worldwide. We look forward to welcoming visitors from all corners of the globe to explore and enjoy the vibrant experiences that await them this summer.”
His Excellency the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, expressed his joy at attending the event, and said, “Saudi tourism is witnessing unparalelled development at all levels, achieving great leaps in recent years, which I witnessed during my multiple visits to this hospitable country. Saudi Arabia has global indicators related to the number of tourists, which has qualified it to top the UN World Tourism list of significant tourist destinations.”
He added during his speech, “All of these great achievements for Saudi tourism would not have been achieved without proper planning from those in charge of the sector in the Kingdom and the great potential it possesses in terms of diverse climates, stunning natural landmarks and the generosity of Saudi people who are distinguished by their hospitality, raising the ceiling of ambitions for new achievements.”
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority also stated that, “While temperatures in the region rise to high levels during summer, temperatures in the highlands of Saudi Arabia in the southern region decrease to the extent that we even witnessed snowfall in Al Soudah yesterday. Through the promotional campaign for the Saudi Summer Program 2024 we seek to highlight the uniqueness of our destinations and their climatic, natural, cultural diversity, along with the exceptional events and activities happening during summer.” He added, “This year’s summer program includes more than 550 tourism products and 150 special offers designed in collaboration with STA’s partners which include attractive offers from hotels, airlines offering free tickets for children in partnership with major travel, tourism and aviation companies and exceptional products in the Aseer Season and Jeddah Season like tax-free shopping offers and many new and exciting experiences such as private beaches for tourists and ladies’ beaches.”
The theme “Saudi Summer is Next Door” serves as a welcoming call to experience the enchanting variety of Saudi destinations, captured in enticing descriptors like “Closer,” “Cooler,” “More Beautiful,” and “More Affordable.” The private sector’s role in bolstering tourism initiatives is crucial, and the Saudi Tourism Authority is committed to bolstering it by promoting appealing products and deals that cater to global tourists’ expectations.
The introduction of the Saudi Summer Program 2024 aligns with enhanced accessibility to the Kingdom, thanks to streamlined processes such as the eVisa available to citizens of 66 countries at a reduced cost, a boost in weekly flights to summer destinations totaling 1,100, and the special GCC residents visa. Additionally, the hospitality sector is set to expand, with an expected addition of 25,000 hotel rooms this year.
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