RIYADH: Egypt's tourism industry is rapidly recovering helped by an influx of holidaymakers from Eastern Europe, the country's tourism minister told CNBC Arabia.
Tourist arrivals have more than doubled since the start of the year, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany told the network on the sidelines of
the Arabian Travel Market 2021 in Dubai.
It comes as the country invests heavily in its tourism infrastructure with current projects worth some $15 billion, he said.
The country is also trying to streamline the visa process with plans to launch an electronic visa portal covering 73 countries.
The minister said that a meeting would be held in the coming weeks with Saudi officials to discuss standard travel controls in the region.
Tourism revenue is an important source of foreign currency for Egypt and the sector usually makes up 15 percent of the country's GDP.
Eastern Europe holidaymakers support Egypt tourism recovery
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Eastern Europe holidaymakers support Egypt tourism recovery
- Tourist arrivals have more than doubled since the start of the year
Saudi Arabia sees 21% jump in mining sector licenses since 2016
- The growth in the Kingdom’s mining sector licenses aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, launched in 2016
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s mining sector has shown sustained growth, with the number of mining licenses increasing from 1,985 in 2016 to 2,401 by the end of 2024, representing cumulative growth of 21 percent, according to the 2024 mineral wealth statistics from the General Authority for Statistics.
The data highlights a steady upward trend in recent years. Licenses rose to 2,100 in 2021, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year.
The upward trajectory continued with 2,272 licenses in 2022, 2,365 in 2023, and 2,401 in 2024, reflecting expanding exploration and investment activity across the Kingdom’s mining sector. Building material quarries accounted for the largest share of mining permits, climbing from 1,267 licenses in 2021 to 1,481 by 2024.
Exploration licenses also recorded consistent growth, supporting the Kingdom’s broader push to develop its mineral resources.
Other categories of mining activity saw significant expansion, including 2,554 exploration licenses, 744 exploitation licenses, 151 reconnaissance licenses, and 83 surplus mineral ore licenses issued during the same period.
The growth in the Kingdom’s mining sector licenses aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, launched in 2016, which aim to diversify national income sources and strengthen non-oil sectors.
