Saudi Arabia, officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is intensifying efforts to draw tourists from India, targeting 7.5 million visitors by 2030, Meshaal Qureshi, Director of Trade Markets at the Saudi Tourism Authority for India and the Subcontinent, told PTI.
India stands as the third-largest source of tourists in the Asia-Pacific region, with 1.18 million visits in 2023 alone. Qureshi highlighted the growing interest from Indian travelers for spiritual and leisure purposes, emphasizing the goal to welcome 7.5 million Indian tourists by 2030.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia recorded one million Indian visitors, who were the highest spenders globally, primarily driven by the Visit Friends and Relatives (VFR) segment. Qureshi shared insights into Saudi Arabia's commitment to simplifying the Umrah journey through the newly launched 'Nusuk' platform. The platform streamlines various aspects of the journey, including visa applications, Umrah permits, hotel accommodations, and flight bookings.
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The Saudi Tourism Authority has taken steps to facilitate travel for Indians, including the opening of 10 VFS Tasheel offices across India and planning additional offices in tier-II cities. Air connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia has grown, reaching a capacity of 2.8 million seats in 2023, a 31% increase since 2019.
Qureshi expressed optimism about expanding connectivity, especially to Madinah from Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad, noting that this enhanced connectivity is driving millions of Muslims to the birthplace of Islam. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest investor in tourism, is set to invest USD 800 billion by 2030, with an additional $550 billion earmarked for developing tourist destinations.
Highlighting cultural similarities between the two countries, Qureshi emphasised the rich history and cultural diversity of both Saudi Arabia and India. He underscored the commitment to fostering tourism development through partnerships and collaboration, expressing eagerness to make further progress in strengthening ties between the two nations.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
