Ministry of Tourism
The Saudi government ministry overseeing the development and regulation of the Kingdom's tourism sector, targeting 150 million visits per year by 2030.
Definition
The Ministry of Tourism is the Saudi government ministry responsible for developing the regulatory framework, strategy, and enabling environment for the Kingdom’s tourism sector, working in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority to achieve Vision 2030’s target of 150 million tourism visits per year.
Overview
Established as a standalone ministry in 2020, the Ministry of Tourism was created to reflect the elevated priority of tourism within Vision 2030. Prior to its creation, tourism policy was managed within the former Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH). The ministry’s mandate covers tourism policy, regulation, licensing, standards, and workforce development.
The ministry has driven transformative regulatory changes including the introduction of the tourist visa in September 2019 — a historic move that opened Saudi Arabia to leisure tourism for the first time. Previously, visiting the Kingdom required a business visa, pilgrimage visa, or family visit visa. The tourist visa has been progressively expanded to cover over 60 nationalities, with visa-on-arrival and e-visa options.
The ministry works closely with the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), which handles destination marketing and promotion, and with mega-project developers including Red Sea Global, NEOM, Qiddiya, and Diriyah Gate. Tourism sector licensing, hospitality standards, tour guide certification, and tourism infrastructure planning all fall within the ministry’s regulatory scope.
Key Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Established | 2020 (standalone ministry) |
| Tourism Target | 150 million visits annually by 2030 |
| Tourism GDP Target | 10% of GDP |
| Tourist Visa | Launched September 2019 |
| Visa Coverage | 60+ nationalities |
| Partner Agency | Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) |
| Key Sectors | Leisure, heritage, religious, adventure, luxury |
Role in Vision 2030
The Ministry of Tourism is a primary delivery agent for one of Vision 2030’s most ambitious targets: transforming Saudi Arabia from a country that barely registered on the global tourism map into one of the world’s most-visited destinations. Achieving 150 million annual visits (including domestic tourism) requires not only mega-project construction but also regulatory modernization, hospitality workforce development, visa liberalization, and international marketing.
The ministry’s work underpins the economic diversification strategy by developing tourism into a sector capable of generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributing 10 percent of GDP — up from approximately 3 percent before Vision 2030.