Saudi tourist spending hits nearly USD 25 bln in first half of year

Foreign tourists visiting Saudi Arabia spent some USD 24.69 billion through the first half of 2024, the Gulf Arab kingdom's tourism ministry said on Thursday, citing the figure as an increase of 8.2 percent from last year. "The growth in spending by inbound visitors to Saudi Arabia reflects the significant progress made by the tourism sector," state-run SPA news agency reported, highlighting a surplus in the "travel account" worth some USD 11 billion. Describing the results as an "achievement," SPA said it was largely driven by "adopting best practices in tourism development," which were instrumental in "elevating" the tourism sector and enhancing its contribution to the Kingdom's economic growth, it added. Source: Kuwait News Agency