Tourism ministry says private sector invested SAR 30 bln in hospitality industry

Logo of Ministry of Tourism 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism announced that private sector investors pumped more than SAR 30 billion in direct investments in the hospitality industry, Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper reported.

These projects are still ongoing and will be launched by 2025, according to the ministry.

The ministry reported an overwhelming turnout from all investor categories, including local and global market tycoons, startups, in addition to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for 80% of the industry across the world.

Some of the locally renowned companies with investments in other business sectors are pumping investments for the first time into the hospitality industry, the ministry indicated.

The tourism sector targets to boost its contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product (GDP) to 10% by 2030, to become the second largest contributor to the Saudi economy, as oil took the first position.

The hospitality sector comprises 8,450 companies, which are directly licensed by the ministry, but the industry includes other unlicensed firms, which are still important.