In response to Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatteb, Saudi Arabia has welcomed 2.5 million sports activities vacationers over the previous 4 years and hosted 80 worldwide sporting occasions as a part of its speedy transformation below Imaginative and prescient 2030.
Occasions such because the Jeddah Method 1 attracted guests from 160 nations, created 20,000 jobs, and generated a SAR 900 million financial affect for the Saudi economic system. The minister emphasised Saudi Arabia’s rising function within the world sports activities tourism business. He said that sports activities tourism accounts for 10 p.c of worldwide tourism expenditure and is predicted to develop by 17.5 p.c by 2030.
Saudi Arabia has hosted numerous world sporting occasions, together with the WWE Tremendous Showdown, the Saudi Professional-Golf Championship, the Battle of the Champions, Method E, the E-Prix, the Worldwide Handball Federation Tremendous Globe, and the Saudi Worldwide Assembly for Disabilities Sport. By 2030, the Kingdom expects to welcome 150 million worldwide vacationers every year, with direct flights obtainable from 250 locations.
“Our ambitions don’t cease there. Because the nation to host the FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia goals to deliver collectively extra followers worldwide than ever—creating an unprecedented world gathering,” mentioned Al-Khatteb. He added, “With 60 p.c of the world’s inhabitants inside an eight-hour flight, we’re nicely positioned to ship one of the accessible and linked tournaments in historical past.” The Minister emphasised that “the 2034 FIFA World Cup is a pure subsequent step in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation journey.”
The Kingdom’s funding in 15 stadiums is designed with the longer term in thoughts. These stadiums will accommodate a big inflow of followers, help long-term infrastructure wants and sporting ambitions, and rework into vibrant sports activities and group engagement hubs.
Consultants consider Saudi Arabia’s future lies with its youth and generations. As 63 p.c of Saudis are below 30, this demographic drives the nation ahead with their abilities.
Presently, over 20,000 gamers take part within the Colleges League, which is supported by 18 regional youth coaching facilities all through Saudi Arabia. Moreover, a $300 million annual funding is made to strengthen the event of soccer golf equipment.
Since 2015, ladies’s sports activities have seen a outstanding enhance of 149 p.c, highlighting the nation’s progress in direction of changing into a various, aggressive, and globally engaged sporting nation.
