LONDON: The KSA travel and tourism sector grew four times faster than the wider economy in 2017, according to a report released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), on Thursday.
The total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was SR240.9 billion ($64.2 billion), or 9.4 percent of GDP in 2017.
It is forecast to jump again this year, underscoring the sector’s increasingly important role in the country’s economic evolution, the WTTC said.
With government investment fueling rapid growth in the sector, the tourism economy is projected to grow to almost SR400 billion ($107 billion) over the next ten years.
“Tourism is really being put up as a pillar in the future Saudi economy,” said WTTC Research Director Rochelle Turner.
“It’s very interesting to see the many developments there at the moment, from the building of infrastructure … to some of the changes in the structure and regulations that have taken place.”
The Kingdom has been courting overseas investment as part of a strategy to bolster the contribution of tourism to a diversified national economy under the country’s Vision 2030 blueprint for economic and social transformation.
Recently, the government-owned Public Investment Fund (PIF) pumped SR10 billion into an entertainment investment company to develop the country’s leisure infrastructure and create an estimated 22,000 jobs by 2030.
Last year the travel sector accounted for 644,000 jobs in the Kingdom, amounting to 5.3 percent of total employment.
At present it is predicted to drop by 1 percent in 2018 before rising by 1.6 percent per annum to 2028. Turner attributed this drop to the “increase in the number of jobs available” as the country shifts from an oil economy to a more diversified future.
Saudi tourism outstrips overall economic growth in Kingdom
Saudi tourism outstrips overall economic growth in Kingdom
Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index edged up to close at 10,549
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Thursday, gaining 58.39 points, or 0.56 percent, to close at 10,549.08.
Total trading turnover reached SR1.59 billion ($425 million), with 218 stocks advancing and 37 declining.
The parallel market, Nomu, added 222.72 points, or 0.96 percent, to finish at 23,519.01, as 43 stocks rose and 21 retreated. Meanwhile, the MSCI Tadawul Index increased by 6.11 points, or 0.44 percent, to close at 1,393.42.
Leading the day’s gains was Alkhaleej Training and Education Co., whose shares jumped 7.63 percent to SR20.45. Other strong performers included Consolidated Grunenfelder Saady Holding Co., up 6.60 percent to SR9.69, and Abdullah Saad Mohammed Abo Moati for Bookstores Co., which rose 6.48 percent to SR48.98.
On the downside, Naseej International Trading Co. recorded the largest decline, falling 2.44 percent to SR34.44, while National Gas and Industrialization Co. dropped 1.79 percent to SR93.10 and Nama Chemicals Co. slipped 1.32 percent to SR23.99.
Saudi Aramco Base Oil Co., or Luberef announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Aramco for a GIII+ production facility in Jazan.
The 18-month agreement, which may be renewed, is a key step in the Group III+ Project aimed at enhancing production capacity. The MoU is non-binding, and any future approvals, formal agreements, or financial impacts will be disclosed in line with regulatory guidelines. Luberef ended the session at SR96.10, down 0.26 percent.
Meanwhile, the Power and Water Utility Co. for Jubail and Yanbu, or Marafiq, reported receiving official notice of higher energy product prices used in production. The company estimated the financial impact for 2026 at 5.6 percent of total cost of sales, based on its most recent audited 2024 statements.
The effect is expected to appear in the first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year. Marafiq said it is working to mitigate the impact through improved production efficiency, enhanced plant reliability, optimized asset utilization, and cost reductions. The stock closed at SR36.80, up 1.03 percent.
