A vast and hugely wealthy coun- try, Saudi Arabia stretches from the Red Sea in the west to the Ara- bian Gulf in the east, making it the largest of the seven countries on the Arabian Gulf. The country is bordered by Jordan and Iraq in the north, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE in the east, Oman in the southeast and Yemen in the south. The discovery of massive oil
reserves in the 1930s transformed the country, bringing economic prosperity that few of its people could have imagined. Despite abundant oil wealth,
the kingdom is mindful that in order to achieve sustainability, it needs to gradually diversify its economy and lessen its depend- ency on revenues generated by its hydrocarbon industry. Developing the tourism indus-
try – and in particular the meet- ings and business travel sector – as a vital source of domestic revenue features high up on the govern- ment’s list of priorities. As a result, the Saudi Commission for Tour- ism & Antiquities (SCTA) recently commissioned two studies that not only highlight the significance of the meetings and conventions industry, but also identify ways to maximise its potential. The specific attention given to
this sector is buoyed by financial dynamics, according to SCTA’s Abdullah Al Jehani, Vice-Presi- dent for Marketing and Programs. Quoting data from the Tourism Information and Research Center
US$2.32 billion
total business tourism spend in 2011
Left: The Kingdom Tower, Riyadh Right: Kingdom Centre, Riyadh
(SCTA’s statistical department), Al Jehani said total business tourism spend hit SAR8.6 billion (US$2.32 billion) in 2011, representing 3.2 mil- lion premium flights by both domestic and inbound business travellers. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is even more
SAUDI FAST FACTS Land area: 2.15 million square kilometres
Local time: GMT + 3 hours Population: 26.5 million (as of July 2012 est.) Capital: Riyadh Currency: Saudi riyal (US$1 = SAR3.75) Languages: Arabic, but English is widely spoken
Peak season for meetings and incentive travel: Non-religious business and leisure travellers should avoid Ramadan and the Hajj season. October to May is considered the most comfortable time to visit when temperatures stay at below 30°C.
Getting there: National carrier Saudia flies to 89 destinations worldwide from its hub in Jeddah while Gulf carriers Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also operate flights to destinations across the kingdom.
optimistic about its projections for the sector. In its Travel & Tour- ism Economic Impact 2012 report, the council reveals that it expects business travel spending in Saudi Arabia to grow at an average of 5.1 percent per annum to reach SAR51 billion (US$14 billion) by 2022. Paul Kennedy, Director and Owner of Kennedy Integrated
Solutions Limited (KISL) and author of the SCTA-commissioned ‘Strategy and Action Plan for the Development of the MICE Mar- ket in Saudi Arabia’ report released in 2012, says there is huge potential for the kingdom’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry to thrive. “A significant population, a commitment to develop the meet-
ings and event infrastructure and the resources to do it should see Saudi Arabia become a recognised destination,” he says. Another industry-specific report published in February 2013 by
the World Bank takes stock of the kingdom’s economic and urban development programmes as crucial factors in fuelling growth in the exhibition and conference sector. “The meetings sector takes an essential rank in the kingdom’s tourism market. Excluding Hajj and Umrah trips and visits to Al Madinah, the expenditure of busi- ness trips represents 20 percent of the total tourism expenditure in Saudi Arabia,” the World Bank reveals.
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