Inside Saudi Arabia’s $800 Billion Travel Destination Transformation | Forbes

Saudi Arabia is on a massive building spree—creating private islands, luxury hotels, theme parks, cruise ports, and even a desert ski resort. The question remains: If they build it, who will come?

It can be difficult to visualize the vastness of Saudi Arabia’s physical transformation. Some of the most notable ongoing projects—including Sindalah, a 7-star private island, and Trojena, an improbable desert ski resort—fall within NEOM, a $500-billion built-from-scratch region in northwest Saudi Arabia where the Kingdom is creating new cities, resorts and other developments. Bankrolled mainly by the Kingdom’s $700-billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), the idea for NEOM was born out of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s grand plan to shake off its historic reliance on oil and diversify its economy, reinventing the country as a global tourism juggernaut.

Euromonitor predicts that international tourists will spend $38 billion in 2030. But the total economic impact for Saudi Arabia will be far greater after adding in domestic travelers’ expenditures and the ripple effect of one million new tourism jobs. The World Travel & Tourism Council projects that, by 2032, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector could contribute nearly $169 billion to its GDP, representing 17.1% of the total Saudi economy.

00:00 Intro
00:24 New Cities, Resorts, and Hotels
02:05 Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Moonshot
03:09 Foreign Travelers in Saudi Arabia
04:39 Preparing For The Future

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[GlimpseGetaways]

If you're planning a trip ask about complimentary hotel stays. Rather than have a vacant room they hotels will offer these complimentary stays in hopes you spend in other ways

[JoshuahnJackstonburg]

One thing that is sort-of interesting though - there seems to be no fear of sea-level rises amid spending countless billions on new beach cities, fake islands etc. No extra beach building either. The same has been and still is the case in UAE, Bahrain and Qatar. Come to think of it - all over the world where there is no tectonic plate (crustal) subduction or subsidence - this is the case.

[jamaljames]

Always watching from Georgetown Guyana south America 🇬🇾🇬🇾🇬🇾

[darkmatter]

This like Saudi Arabia policy makers waking up and suddenly wanting to be the next Dubai. 😅

[Metro-french-for-all]

Saudi Arabia will be a tourist destination par excelence. The world will be surprized at what the Saudis are building now. It's a matter of time only. Wait and you will see. Best of luck and keep going.
Greetings from an Algerian in London.

[Mister_Rooster]

Why does this whole segment feel empty like Suaid Arabia payed for it?

[othosos]

It's very obvious that Saudi Arabia knows something we don't. Oil economy is on it's way out and they are replacing it with tourism. This should be the bigger news here, What does the Saudi's know about the future of Oil?

[nickg]

Nothing there appeals to me. They should invest into industry and education instead of trying to impress outsiders

[Hjw]

I'm lk glad we have countries with a massive, sandy canvas and a ton of oil to create whatever they want on it.

[hussammoh]

Well done Saudi Arabia. Such a great vision a new market and will benefit everyone.

[alastaircv]

Zero chance of me giving KSA one cent of my tourism spend anytime soon.

[ronwalker]

I was born there. Embrace petroleum or starvation- 'sand will cover this place. sand will cover you'- Frank Herbert

[ackeemsmith]

Wait a second why does this sound like a advertisement

[anthonyk]

I highly doubt Saudi Arabia gets a lot of tourist with the way the run the country and their religious police. Most people would rather go to the already established and more friendly UAE.

[gilkin]

Under the Vision 2030 plan, Prince Mohammed has brought in several multibillion-dollar projects to put Saudi Arabia on the map for innovation, tech and youth-driven initiatives."We have big opportunities in front of us in different sectors and we have to exploit them to continue to grow and prosper, " he said on the Liwan Al Mudaifer Show.

[DbdnSbxbzb]

تحول المملكه. بشكلً. كبير لما حباها الله عزوجل. من خيرات

[DbdnSbxbzb]

الحمدالله ربيًً على النعم التي أنعمت بها. الارض المقدسه

[omarthecostar]

Estimates are far over valued. The natural reserves of oil are expected to run out in the next 5-10 years. If they are spending everything they have on these projects I don't think the country can be sustainable and some projects will be left underdeveloped like UAE. Also if everything is luxury who can afford to visit?

[collinsmbaka]

the middle east is really having a moment. it's beautiful to watch. Africa, when will you wake up? 😢

[mahfoozurjamielrahman]

They doubted dubai and look at it today. Saudi will be amazing. Im glad they dream and try there best