Saudi tourism takes-off with China, UK, Malaysia, US, Canada topping list of new arrivals
New YouGov data shows one in five tourists are now more interested in visiting Saudi Arabia for a vacation. According to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, China, UK, Malaysia, United States and Canada top the list of new arrivals since the launch of its first tourism visa
New YouGov research has identified a rise in tourism interest in Saudi Arabia from around the world, with one in five tourists more likely to visit Saudi Arabia for a vacation now than five years ago.
The YouGov research surveyed 9,521 people across the USA, China and five key markets in Europe, revealed a growing interest in visiting Saudi Arabia.
The data coincides with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) revealing its top inbound source markets since Saudi Arabia’s opened its doors to international tourism. Since the launch of the new tourism visa in September, visitors from China, UK, Malaysia, United States and Canada have topped the list of new arrivals welcomed into Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s ancient UNESCO heritage site Madain Saleh will open to tourists for the first time in 2020 Photo courtesy of PrNewsWire, SCTH and Visit Saudi
Saudi’s historic sites appear to be an important attraction for tourists to the Kingdom. Amongst those surveyed by YouGov, over one in five (22%) are keen to visit Jeddah’s historic old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meanwhile, another UNESCO site, previously only known to a few travellers, is gaining a following amongst Chinese millennials. Al Ula now tops the list of destinations in the Arab world of a third of Chinese tourists under the age of 35.
Italians top the list with 35% surveyed saying they would be more likely to visit Saudi Arabia following the new visa launch. British tourists were 15% more likely just ahead of Americans at 14%.
The research also points to new opportunities for multi destination tourism growth. Of all respondents 73% reported a preference to visit several destinations rather than stay in one location.
Arab League Tourism Ministers Meeting
The research is released as Saudi Arabia takes on the presidency of the Arab League Tourism Ministers Meeting at the end of a historic year for the Kingdom. Tourism Ministers from across the Arab world met earlier this month for the 22ndAnnual Arab Tourism Ministers Meeting. During the meeting they discussed opportunities for regional-wide tourism offerings and unified strategies for sustainable growth of the sector to benefit local communities and the environment.
His Excellency Ahmad bin Aqil Al Khatib Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) said:
“This year marked the historic moment of Saudi Arabia opening its doors to the world. We are welcoming more visitors and investors than ever before. To those thinking of visiting Saudi Arabia in 2020, you won’t find a warmer welcome anywhere in the world.”
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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