Saudi Arabia launches conference to highlight growing tourism sector

(14 Nov 2025)
SAUDI ARABIA TOURISM CONFERENCE

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

LENGTH: 2:09

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 11 November 2025
1. Various of attendees at tourism meeting
2. Large sign reading "Tourise" at the entrance
3. SOUNDBITE( English) Phillip J Jones, Chief Tourism Officer for Royal Commission in al-Ula:
"Al-Ula is doing an amazing job of sort of positioning itself as a luxury premium gateway for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We've invested in building six hotels in the last four years. We have seven more in the pipeline. We've also put in place more than 39 new restaurants and we have hosted a series of festivals and events each year that brings visitors in from around the globe."

4. Attendees talking
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Phillip J Jones, Chief Tourism Officer for Royal Commission in al-Ula:
"We've seen a nice increase in visitation. Five years ago, we had 20,000 visitors. This year we'll host 300,000 visitors, and we're putting a big investment in wellness, arts and culture and heritage because that's really the pillars of what makes al-Ula a special place."
6. Wide of event
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Phillip J Jones, Chief Tourism Officer for Royal Commission in al-Ula:
"Since we started the project, we've created 6000 jobs in al-Ula and 5200 new businesses have opened."

8. People walking past a digital display
9. Various of attendees at the event
10. Qiddiya City exhibit showcasing Saudi Arabian football jerseys
11. Mid of stadium model showcasing futuristic design
12. Attendee taking phots of the stadium model
13. People walking
STORYLINE:
Tourism and the growing hospitality sector in Saudi Arabia were at the forefront of a meeting held in the capital on Tuesday.

"Tourise" is a conference launched by the Gulf country as part of its efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil and increase investment in other sectors such as tourism.

The plan is dubbed as Prince Mohammed’s Vision 2030 blueprint for transforming the country and its image.

Government officials, investors and brand ambassadors engaged with different interactive exhibits during the conference.

Some visitors checked out infrastructure models and urban project plans as others utilized virtual reality to watch digital showcases.

Phillip J. Jones, Chief Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for al-Ula, told the Associated Press there has been significant progress in the development of the tourism sector in the historic and UNESCO-listed site.

"Five years ago we had 20,000 visitors. This year, we'll host 300,000," he said.

The Kingdom aims to welcome 150 million visitors annually to the country by the end of the decade.

The landlocked, once ultraconservative capital of Riyadh is pitching itself as a city of concerts, movie theaters and world class sporting events.

AP video by Baraa Anwer

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