Saudi Gazette report

AL-AHSA — Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb revealed the record growth witnessed by tourism in Al-Ahsa, as the total number of domestic and foreign tourists in the governorate exceeded 3.2 million in 2024. The tourism growth rate estimated at about 500 percent compared to 2019, while the total spending of tourists last year exceeded SR3.3 billion, with a growth rate of 400 percent compared to 2019, he said while addressing the seventh session of the Al-Ahsa Investment Forum 2025 here on Wednesday.

Al-Khateeb pointed out that the forum is one of the most prominent economic events awaited by investors in various economic sectors in the Kingdom, which reflects the economic and historical importance of Al-Ahsa governorate. He also reviewed the many achievements made by the tourism sector in the Kingdom during the year 2024, which constituted a turning point in the journey of the thriving tourism sector in the Kingdom.

The minister praised the qualitative shift witnessed by the hospitality sector in Al-Ahsa, as the number of licensed tourism facilities in the governorate achieved a growth of 52 percent compared to 2023, and the number of licensed rooms in the governorate reached 2,700 by the end of last year, pointing to the great efforts made by the tourism system.

Al-Khateeb said that the Ministry of Tourism has implemented a number of initiatives and various exemption and incentive programs aimed at improving the investment environment in Al-Ahsa, and several projects have benefited from them, with a total value of SR3 billion in the governorate. He stated that the ministry is working to qualify national cadres, by providing the largest possible number of training opportunities for the sons and daughters of Al-Ahsa.

The ministry has also provided more than 5,300 training opportunities for national cadres in the governorate from 2023 until today, thus exceeding 50 percent of the target of training opportunities allocated by the ministry for Al-Ahsa, which was announced in the previous edition of the forum, he added.