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Following the launch of Sindalah Island at the end of last month, Bloomberg looks at Saudi’s tourism push. The island, which includes luxury offerings including overwater bungalows, desert-view infinity pools, and sea-side resorts, is one of many new projects expected to contribute to driving growth towards the Kingdom’s targeted 150 mn tourists by 2030, Bloomberg notes.
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Lots of new hotel rooms are on the way: Developers are committing some USD 110 bn towards hospitality projects in the Kingdom, with analysts expecting the country’s hotel capacity to double by 2030. The ongoing developments represent “one of the biggest hotel pipelines on the planet,” Bloomberg said. Saudi’s plans to host upcoming mega events such as the 2030 World Expo, 2034 FIFA World Cup, and 2029 Asian Winter Games are also set to boost its appeal as a major tourist destination.
Religious tourism is still expected to form the “bedrock” of Saudi tourism, officials said, with more than half of the planned hotel capacity slated for Makkah and Madinah. However, the Saudi government is also planning to encourage tourists from this category to visit other parts of the Kingdom after completing their visits to religious sites.
