Saudi Arabia saw as many as 18 million inbound visits in the first three quarters of 2022, data showed on Tuesday, while tourism spending in the kingdom skyrocketed to $7.2 billion in the first half of the year.
This puts the kingdom on track to achieve 100 million annual visitors by the end of this decade. This puts the country’s booming tourism sector under key focus at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023, which will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 1 to 4.
ATM 2023 will feature a host of Saudi exhibitors, including Saudi carriers Saudia and flynas, Makkah Clock Royal Tower, Asma Hospitality Company, Eye of Riyadh, Itrip, Dur Hospitality, Sadana Real Estate Co, Saudi Amad for Airport Services & Transport Support and many more.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “The ATM 2023 Saudi Summit will offer an ideal forum in which travel professionals and policymakers from across the Middle East and beyond can explore opportunities and challenges within the Kingdom’s ever-growing tourism sector.
“From upcoming giga-developments such as NEOM and the Red Sea Project to how the kingdom’s latest visa reforms are bolstering its travel sector, we expect Saudi Arabia to represent a major drawcard during the upcoming edition of ATM,” Curtis added.
ATM 2023 will also explore the future of sustainable travel in line with its theme of ‘Working Towards Net Zero’. Having officially initiated its journey to net zero, the conference programme will explore how innovative sustainable travel trends are likely to evolve, allowing delegates to identify growth strategies within key vertical sectors, while providing a platform for regional experts to explore a sustainable future ahead of COP28, which will take place in November 2023 at Expo City Dubai.
