Saudi Tourism Authority has a spectacular summer programme for 2024, ‘Saudi Summer is Next Door.’
Saudi Arabia’s summer programme will run for four months until the end of September across seven destinations and includes over 550 exceptional tourism products and more than 150 special offers and packages curated for families and children across different segments like adventure lovers, those looking for luxury retreats and activities, and culture and heritage enthusiasts.
Organised by the Saudi Tourism Authority and launched by Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Saudi Summer Program 2024 launch event was attended by Secretary-General of World Tourism Organization, Zurab Pololikashvili, over 250 key strategic partners from the public and private sectors, and significant media and key opinion leaders.
During the event, they were given exclusive details on the programme and its key components.
The summer programme is launched across seven destinations: Aseer, Al Baha, Taif, The Red Sea, Jeddah, Riyadh and AlUla. This year, the programme will also witness the return of the Jeddah Season and the launch of the Aseer Season with a momentum of family activities and events lined up.
In addition to this, Saudi Arabia also has a line-up of the biggest and most vibrant events as part of the summer programme, particularly the Esports World Cup in Riyadh being held for the first time, an annual eight-week competition featuring the world’s most elite Esports athletes, and multiple boxing tournaments happening both in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Al Khateeb highlighted global tourism trends, the growth seen by the Kingdom in the tourism sector, and the record-breaking numbers of incoming tourists resulting in Saudi Arabia topping the UN World Tourism List and the G20 nations list.
Al Khateeb added: “ Saudi Arabia is witnessing a transformative period in tourism, driven by our vision to position the Kingdom as a premier global destination. The Saudi Summer Program 2024 is our commitment to showcasing the rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and unparalleled hospitality that Saudi Arabia offers. We invite local and international tourists to experience the diversity of our seven unique destinations and take advantage of the exceptional offers and packages designed to create unforgettable memories.
“This initiative, supported by our strategic partnerships and groundbreaking initiatives like the eVisa and increased flight connectivity, demonstrates our dedication to making Saudi Arabia more accessible and appealing to tourists worldwide. We look forward to welcoming visitors from all corners of the globe to explore and enjoy the vibrant experiences that await them this summer.”
The launch of the Saudi Summer Program 2024 comes at a time when visiting Saudi has become easier, smoother, and safer through efforts like making the eVisa available to citizens of 66 countries, reducing the total price of the eVisa by 20%, and increasing the number of weekly flights from Gulf cities to Saudi summer destinations to 1,100.
Also, GCC residents can make use of the GCC residents visa, which allows them multiple entries and a stay of up to 90 days in Saudi Arabia during a year. There has also been an increase in the number of hotel rooms available to travellers with an additional 25,000 rooms expected to be added this year, it said.