DAVOS, Switzerland, 27 January 2026: Tourism must be led by economic infrastructure if it is to drive growth, resilience, and human connection in an increasingly fragmented world, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, told the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos last week.
Speaking during engagements at the World Economic Forum, the Minister emphasised that tourism should no longer be treated as a discretionary sector, but as a strategic system capable of supporting diversification, attracting long-term investment, and creating inclusive employment across regions when planned and governed intentionally.
“With an estimated 2 billion international arrivals by 2030, the question for leaders is not whether tourism will grow, but whether it will scale responsibly,” said His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb. “When tourism is designed as economic, social, and cultural infrastructure, it becomes a powerful engine for diversification, resilience, and long-term value, not simply movement across borders.”
Drawing on Saudi Arabia’s experience under Vision 2030, the Minister highlighted how tourism has become a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s economic transformation. In 2025, the Kingdom recorded 30 million inbound visitors, with a target of 150 million by 2030.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest single investor in tourism, with a pipeline of investments spanning destinations, aviation, digital platforms, and human capital. Tourism now contributes nearly 5% of the Kingdom’s direct GDP and employs more than 1 million people.
He pointed to projects such as AlUla, Diriyah, and the Red Sea as examples of a master-planned approach to destination development, focused on safety, sustainability, governance, and quality of life. This model, he noted, has supported long-term investment, strengthened investor confidence, and aligned tourism growth with community benefit and cultural protection.
During the World Economic Forum, he also highlighted ‘Beyond Tourism’, a multi-sector initiative developed in collaboration with the World Economic Forum to elevate tourism from an industry discussion to a system-level leadership agenda. The initiative aims to align policy, capital, and innovation across sustainability, inclusion, resilience, and investment.
“Tourism remains undervalued in economic decision making,” said His Excellency. Despite representing a USD10 trillion global economy, it is still too often absent from infrastructure, trade, and industrial policy. Elevating tourism requires treating it as a productivity, resilience, and connectivity engine supported by coherent policy and data-driven frameworks.”
Saudi Arabia also highlighted TOURISE, a global platform designed to move tourism from ambition to execution by convening governments, investors, and industry leaders to accelerate collaboration and delivery. Since its launch, TOURISE has convened nearly 10,000 leaders from more than 100 countries and helped catalyse over USD 113 billion in tourism-related investment. The next global TOURISE gathering is scheduled for March 2027.
Globally, travel and tourism account for approximately 10% of global GDP and support more than 357 million jobs, making it one of the most inclusive sectors of the worldwide economy. Beyond economics, the Minister noted that tourism continues to play an important role in fostering people-to-people exchange amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in utilising tourism to benefit other countries, not just itself. He called on governments and global institutions to elevate tourism within economic and infrastructure policy, emphasising its role in supporting growth, resilience, and international cooperation.
“One of our biggest challenges is not just looking at ourselves, but also at other countries and how we can help. 80% of countries worldwide do not attract enough tourists, particularly in regions like Africa and Latin America. We want to strengthen relationships with these places to help them build their own tourism sectors and economies, for global benefit.
“In some of these instances, tourism helps to sustain dialogue when formal channels are under strain. It builds understanding, trust, and connection. Led responsibly, it can act as a stabilising force and a multiplier for peace globally.”
Throughout the week in Davos, Saudi Arabia’s delegation engaged in open, constructive dialogue with leaders from government, business, civil society, and academia to promote global stability and prosperity. In line with the Kingdom’s role as a responsible and committed member of the international community, the delegation showcased how Saudi Vision 2030 has become a blueprint for transformative, growth-driven development.
(Source: Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia)
