The Saudi Tourism Authority celebrated consecutive successes, achievements, and strategic partnerships at the conclusion of its participation in the ITB Berlin 2023 with more than 45 partners from the Saudi tourism system, in addition to achieving the Kingdom's pavilion of excellence awards. The event witnessed the unveiling of over 200 booking-ready tourist experiences and packages and the signing of more than 10 new international agreements, including a historic partnership with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) aimed at promoting e-learning and prioritizing human beings. The Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, inaugurated the Saudi pavilion, which drew the attention of presidents, ministers, leaders, and officials, as well as major business entities such as TUI and FTI, and the leaders of the WTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The Saudi pavilion stood out in all evaluation criteria for offering exceptional experiences, taking into account sustainability and advanced technology, and beating out 5,500 exhibitors from 161 countries to win the Best Middle East Pavilion Award, making it the best pavilion ever. It showcased inspiring interactive content that reflects Saudi culture and authenticity, offering visitors Saudi dates and coffee while introducing them to uncommon destinations and experiences. The pavilion also highlighted the facilities, services, and packages offered by the unified national platform "Nusuk," which enriches the experience of the destinations of Makkah and Madinah, and held numerous meetings with travel, tourism, and Umrah companies from Germany, Europe, and beyond. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed new international strategic agreements with prominent names and prestigious brands, including Expedia, FTI, DER Touristik, Hotel Beds, Lufthansa City Center, and others. The international forum also witnessed several panel discussions aimed at boosting growth, supporting partners, and speeding up businesses. CEO and member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Fahd Hamidaddin, highlighted the remarkable successes achieved by Saudi tourism through the ITB Berlin 2023, consolidating the Kingdom's position on the global tourism map, and opening up horizons of cooperation to enable partners from inside and outside the Kingdom. German travel and Umrah companies have realized the great potential in the Umrah sector given the unprecedented number of applications the Nusuk platform received. The CEO stressed the importance of the strategic partnerships and the turnout for the pavilion, the keenness of the German tourism sector in particular and the European, in general, to cooperate and ink agreements with the partners of the Saudi tourism system. "We gained a more comprehensive and deeper insight into the preferences of German and European tourists. We have what they want and more, especially with the opening of numerous significant projects along the Red Sea, as well as tourism and historical initiatives like Diriyah's Al-Bujairi Terrace, which has welcomed over 700,000 visitors since it opened," Hamidaddin said. For his part, the Managing Director of Lufthansa City Center Regional Company, Markus Orth, added "We are looking forward to a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia; the new and wonderful tourist destination; which focuses on a sustainable future for the tourism sector; the unique destinations and historical and cultural sites it offers; new and luxurious Red Sea resorts; and successive global events, and amazing and distinctive tourism experiences." Meanwhile, CEO of the German Travel Association, Norbert Fiebig, said: "The agreements concluded between the Saudi Tourism Authority and the German Travel Association will enhance opportunities for cooperation, build bridges of communication, friendship, and respect between the two peoples, and promote travel between Saudi Arabia and Germany." Since its renewed launch in 2019, Saudi Arabia's tourism sector has achieved many milestones and set records. It is currently the fastest-growing tourism sector globally, outperforming all G20 countries with growth rates that have reached 121% compared to the pre-pandemic period. Additionally, Saudi Arabia welcomed 93.5 million visitors in 2022 and is the world's largest investor in the tourism industry, allocating USD 550 billion for the development of new destinations expected to receive visitors by 2030. The goal of the tourism sector in the Kingdom is to reach 100 million annual visits by 2030. The Saudi Tourism Authority, along with more than 45 partners, including the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites, the Makkah Region Development Authority, the Madinah Development Authority, the Diriyah Company, Historic Jeddah, Tourism Development Fund, Aseer Region Development Authority, Royal Commission for AlUla, NEOM, and the Red Sea Development Company participated in the ITB Berlin 2023 exhibition. This included various tourist destinations, tour operators, hotels, travel and tourism companies, and airlines.
