A country that occupies the major part of the Arabian Peninsula. A country that is host to numerous historical, cultural, and natural wonders. A country that is home to the two most holy cities of Islam. A country that is a major player in fulfilling the energy needs of our global economy. A country ranked third in the world in terms of safety. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had never been prominently featured on the global leisure and family travel map until recently, but that is about to change. Gears have shifted. With an earmarked Investment of 800 billion US$ into its tourism ecosystem by 2030, the Kingdom is now ready to share its wonders with the global traveller. At SATTE 2022, TTJ spoke with Alhasan Ali Aldabbagh, Chief Markets Officer, Asia Pacific, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), to understand their vision for the India market.
– Gurjit Singh Ahuja
The Saudi Tourism Authority was created to develop Saudi Arabia’s unique assets and destinations and market these tourism destinations worldwide by developing the Kingdom’s offering through programs, packages, and business support. STA is responsible for raising awareness about Saudi Arabia as a world-class, must-visit tourism destination and to showcase the breadth and diversity of the Kingdom’s dynamic tourism offering.
Saudi Arabia is home to several UNESCO World heritage sites. Each season of the year offers a different Saudi experience. From climbing mountains 3000 meters above sea level to diving into the magical wonders of the corals and marine life of the Red Sea to crossing the largest palm oasis in the world with more than 2.5 million palm trees, all these exciting experiences, and more await the traveller combined with the unique charm of Saudi generosity and heartfelt hospitality. Visitors can feast on the distinctively delicious traditional food and enjoy mesmerising iconic architectural masterpieces.
As part of the Grand “Vision 2030”, the five major Giga Projects of Alula, Red Sea, Neom, Amaala, and Qiddiya are in the pipeline. Each city offers its value proposition and is being developed with a combined outlay of 800 billion US dollars, which has been earmarked for investment in the tourism ecosystem, including the creation of infrastructure. With perhaps little or no competition from any other country or destination in the world in terms of the sheer size of its investment in tourism, Saudi Arabia has its eyes set on being among the top five destinations of the world by 2030.
SATTE is a major platform for promoting tourism in South Asia, and through its debut participation, the Saudi Tourism Authority has had the opportunity to highlight Saudi’s authentic Arabian culture, pristine nature, diverse landscapes, and a rapidly expanding portfolio of offerings.
“Saudi has embarked on an ambitious programme to drive inbound visitation from India, inspiring local trade partners and the traveller to explore the undiscovered beauty and wonder of the country. As we continue to open up to the world, India is an incredibly important key source market for Saudi and presents a wealth of possibility for trade partners, to grow their business and to ultimately, create a new exciting destination for Indian traveller,” said Alhasan.
India is considered among the top source markets for Saudi Arabia. The endeavor is to study the needs, requirements, and travel behavior of the Indian traveller and design and offer tourism products that best suit their sensibilities and expectations. Food, shopping, and entertainment are key to any Indian vacation experience and all these aspects are being looked into in great detail and creating “Curated Customer Journeys” for the Indian traveller.
Plans are afoot to create excitement of doing events that will be very India market-focused, collaborating with Bollywood stars, and also bringing cricket matches to Saudi Arabia. Given India’s great love for the game, there is now an official cricket association in Saudi Arabia, which perhaps is a step in the right direction to bring the country closer through cricket bonding.
The tourist visa process for travel to Saudi is being made simpler, transparent, seamless, and cost-effective for the Indian traveller. The aim is to provide simpler accessibility and create the right environment to facilitate large inbound tourist traffic and volumes from India to Saudi Arabia. A large part of the Saudi population is now inoculated against COVID-19, as it is a mandate for its citizens to be inoculated.
As Saudi opens up to global tourism, it now welcomes cultural diversity, and women travellers are safe and greatly welcome. Abaya is no longer mandatory in Saudi, while consumption of alcohol is still forbidden even by foreign tourists without exception in the Kingdom. The holy city of Medina is now open to non-Muslims. For the devout Muslim visiting Mecca and Medina on Umrah, the Umrah Plus package is now being promoted. It is a great way to visit the twin holy cities and experience other cities and parts of the Kingdom.
“Besides being the biggest pavilion at SATTE 2022, that showed commitment to the India market, and to change the perception of the Indian travel industry that Saudi means business and has the singular focus to be a game-changer and it is not holding back on focus, efforts, and investments in positioning Saudi as a top global travel destination,” said Alhasan.
Many MoUs were signed at SATTE by STA with Indian travel trade associations, OTAs, and major travel industry players such as TAAI, TAFI, OTOAI, SKAL, TBO, Ease My Trip, Yatra, Alhind Tours and Travels, Sheeraz Tours, La Vacanza Travel, Travel Tours/FCM Travels, TravClan, Atlas Travels and Fly Creative to name a few. The whole exercise aims to instill a sense of mutual confidence, understanding, knowledge transfer, and commitment to propel and sustain future growth together.
Saudi is reaching out to all trade partners in India to create plans and initiate partnerships and collaborations with stakeholders in Saudi, which may be hotels, attractions, service providers, and DMCs, to facilitate a fast flow of inbound traffic into Saudi Arabia. There is a strong focus on educating the trade and front-liners about the destination and organising familiarisation trips to experience the destination first hand.
India is a very strong focus market for Saudi and besides making investments in conventional and online marketing and advertising campaigns to create awareness and brand equity, there is a focus on working closely with Bollywood and perhaps having Bollywood movie sequences filmed in Saudi Arabia. Bollywood has a great fan following in the Kingdom.
To conclude, Alhasan reiterates, “Anyone who is interested in doing business with Saudi within the tourism sector is more than welcome to reach out to us. We welcome them with open arms and we want to work together with them going forward.”
Saudi Arabia’s Grand “Vision 2030”, the five major Giga Projects
AlUla is a living museum of preserved tombs, sandstone outcrops, and monuments. This unique destination is transforming into a global tourist experience under the 2030 vision. The region encompasses the Nabataean city of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the ancient North Arabian Dadanite and Lihyanite Kingdoms.
The Red Sea Project is a tourism and hospitality project spread over 28,000 km2 of pristine lands and waters and includes a vast archipelago of more than 90 islands and will set new standards in regenerative tourism and sustainable development, creating unique travel experiences and unforgettable memories. The destination also features mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, and ancient cultural heritage sites. The Red Sea Project will include hotels, residential properties, leisure facilities, and entertainment ventures.
Neom is conceptualised to embody the future of innovation in business, liveability, and sustainability. Built on the Red Sea in northwest Saudi Arabia, Neom is conceptualised as a living laboratory – a place where entrepreneurship and innovation will chart the course for a new future. It will be a destination for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for sustainable and prosperous living. NEOM is not just a place – it’s a mindset. It’s being designed, constructed, and independently administered in a way that is free from outdated economic and environmental infrastructure that constrains other countries across the world.
Amaala located along Saudi Arabia’s north-western coast, is a global wellness ultra-luxury destination that focuses on transformative personal journeys inspired by wellness, arts, culture, and purity of the Red Sea. The 4,155 km2 year-round destination will offer 3,000 hotel rooms across some 25 hotels and private residential villas, apartments, and estate homes, alongside high-end retail establishments, fine dining, and wellness and recreational facilities.
Qiddiya is set to become the capital of entertainment, sports, and arts. It will be a disruptive destination that offers innovative, immersive, and unparalleled experiences, all integrated on a scale never been seen before. Qiddiya’s portfolio is based on five thematic cornerstones: Parks & Attractions, Sports & Wellness, Motion & Mobility, Arts & Culture, and Nature & Environment.
