Saudi Arabia's business tourism netted over SR14 billion in 2008 from over 5 million business travelers in the Kingdom, MAS, the statistical division of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) said in its report released Saturday. Business conferences, exhibitions, incentive travel, corporate hospitality, outdoor events and individual business travel have increased, accounting for 19 percent of total inbound tourism spending into the Kingdom, the report said, adding that 27 percent of business tourism revenues was collected in April and May of 2008 alone. The cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Dammam and Madina were the best business destinations with business travelers spending SR5.5 billion on hotel accommodation and SR3.1 billion on local products and services, it said. Hamad Aal Al-Sheikh, director general of Tourism Programs and Products at SCTA, said “the Kingdom is embarking on a fast-growing business tourism sector as a result of social, cultural, educational and economic growth under the leadership of King Abdullah.” Appropriate business infrastructure in the Kingdom has contributed to a better business environment as seen in the events and activities related to business tourism and the economy in general across the Kingdom, he said. Saudi Arabia hosts over 100,000 annual business events held in about 500 well-equipped convention centers attracting 5 million business travelers from across the globe. With a large population in the Gulf region and as one of the most powerful economies, the Kingdom has enjoyed success in organizing this type of tourism, Aal Al-Sheikh said. Empowered by strategic private and public partners, SCTA is exerting greater efforts for the development of business tourism with more efforts directed toward a stronger infrastructure, he said. These efforts include the development of building facilities and recruitment and the training of national manpower for business tourism activities, he added. SCTA has teamed up with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the private sector to host more state-of-the-art business events with international standards. The SCTA's recent direct control over the hotel sector this will help create a quantum leap in the services offered by hotels when organizing business tourism events, he said. SCTA also seeks to develop other sectors associated with business tourism.
