RIYADH — The Ministry of Tourism revealed that Saudi Arabia has achieved the highest semi-annual surplus ever for the travel item in the balance of payments during the first half of 2023. The travel surplus soared 327 percent, reaching SR40 billion during this period, compared to the first half of 2022. The ministry said that there has been significant growth in spending by foreign visitors coming to the Kingdom, which amounted to about SR84 billion during the period. The spending of tourists who came to the Kingdom in the first half of 2022 amounted to about SR36 billion. The ministry announced that the Kingdom ranked second globally in the growth rate in the number of tourist arrivals during the first seven months of the year 2023. The UNWTO Barometer, issued by the World Tourism Organization last month, showed that the Kingdom recorded a growth rate of 58 percent compared to the same period in 2019. These results come as a follow-up to the outstanding achievements made by the Kingdom in the tourism sector and its leadership role in the global scene in this vital sector. These achievements enhance the Kingdom's position as a distinguished global tourist destination, and the significant increase in the number of the incoming tourists reflects travelers' confidence in the Kingdom's attractive tourism options and the extent of their diversity.
