Saudi Arabia has announced its target of attracting 100 million tourists a year by 2030.
To put the number into perspective, the most visited country, France, saw 89 milli on tourists in 2018.
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The ambitious target will be spurred on by the country’s flagship Red Sea Project, a development of luxury resorts and tourist attractions costing $500bn on the Red Sea coastline.
90 artificial islands are expected to be built over the next few years.
The Kingdom has also stepped up its marketing of around a hundred historical sites across the country.
“There will be a lot of pent up demand to go and travel as soon as the restrictions are lifted, so I see a V-shape recovery certainly, in so far as tourism is concerned,” the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.
Before 2019, Saudi Arabia did not issue tourist visas to foreigners.
In an attempt to move away from its economic dependence on oil, the country will relax its strict dress code, making it a more attractive destination to millions worldwide.
