Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to welcome 7.5 mn Indian travellers by 2030

Saudi Arabia has stepped up its effort to attract tourists from India and is eyeing to welcome 7.5 million travellers from the country by 2030, Saudi Tourism Authority Trade Markets Director, India and the Subcontinent, Meshaal Qureshi said on Wednesday.

India is the third biggest source of tourists in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

"India is Saudi's third biggest source market in the APAC region, with 1.18 million visits in 2023 alone so far, while more than 1.88 million expats from India live and work in Saudi," Qureshi said while addressing Nusuk roadshow.

"We are pleased to see increasing demand for travel from India to Saudi for spiritual and leisure purposes especially as we aim to welcome 7.5 million Indian travellers by 2030," he said.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia saw one million Indian visitors who were the highest spenders among all its source markets globally due to the Visit Friends and Relatives (VFR) segment, he said.

Qureshi said with collaboration and innovation, Saudi Arabia has undertaken its partnership with trade partners to a new level through the launch of the 'Nusuk' platform that aims to make Umrah journey simpler and more accessible.

"Now, embarking on the Umrah journey is simpler, and more accessible than ever before with the 'Nusuk' platform. From visa applications and Umrah permits to securing hotel accommodation and flight bookings, our platform is committed to creating a seamless digital gateway to Makkah and Madinah and beyond at every step," he added.

Earlier this year, the Saudi Tourism Authority undertook various initiatives to ease travel for Indians to the country, including the opening of 10 VFS Tasheel offices in different locations across India, including Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai.

"We are planning to open more VFS Tasheel offices across tier-II cities in India," he added.

The air connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia has witnessed a growth to reach a capacity of 2.8 million seats in 2023, a 31 per cent increase since 2019, and a 19 per cent increase from 2022, said Qureshi.

There are flights operating from 12 major hubs in India to the key cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, he stated.

"We are also optimistic about further increasing this connectivity, especially to Madinah from Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad. This boundless connectivity is leading millions of Muslims to the birthplace of Islam."

"Saudi Arabia is the biggest investor in tourism in the world. With sector investment of USD 800 billion by 2030 and another USD 550 billion being invested in the development of tourist destinations, we are prioritising partnerships, boosting connectivity and creating value for our partners as well as at home," he said.

There is real cultural synergy between our two countries, he said, adding that like Saudi, India is a culturally diverse year-round destination with a rich history.

"Through our mutual similarities and our desire to work together and support each other as true friends, we look forward to making more progress in fostering tourism development between our countries," Qureshi added.