Ahmed Al Khatib, Minister of Tourism, confirmed that Saudi Arabia is leading fundamental changes through the development of prominent tourist destinations, major cities and globally unprecedented projects, pointing to the need for urban design that serves residents and visitors as one.
While participating in a dialogue session within the 5th Future of Real Estate Forum to be held in the capital Riyadh from January 26 to 28, 2026, Minister Al Khatib highlighted the Diriyah model as an example of this modern approach. This is because the destination will include approximately 35 hotels, 11 museums, and numerous shopping and entertainment facilities to meet the needs of both residents and visitors.
vision, mission, responsibility
Minister Al Khatib explained that quality of life represents the Kingdom’s vision, responsibility and mission, noting that the Kingdom is focused on achieving economic sustainability and creating jobs in the tourism sector.
He explained that the Kingdom will receive approximately 30 million international tourists in 2025, a record increase year-on-year, and that this increase is a result of the qualitative changes the tourism sector has seen within the Saudi Vision 2030.
global quality indicators
Speaking at the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the Minister of Tourism spoke about Saudi Arabia’s launch of the Global Quality of Life Index in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, noting that more than 1,200 cities around the world have applied to join the index, with 120 registered so far, and that the index contributes to supporting residents and tourists in general by helping them identify the best destinations and cities to live and visit.
strategic opportunity
Tourism is one of the biggest strategic opportunities for the Kingdom, he said, noting that its natural and cultural diversity makes the Kingdom a global destination with unique competitive advantages, pointing to continued efforts towards developing Red Sea destinations and building rich tourism content in various regions of the Kingdom.
He said Saudi Arabia has up to 11,000 heritage and cultural sites, many of which are on the World Heritage List, which improves its position on the world tourism map and supports the Sustainable Development Goals.
