Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said that Saudi Vision 2030 has been a decisive milestone in reshaping the Kingdom’s economy, moving it beyond dependence on oil, gas, and petrochemicals toward emerging sectors such as tourism, culture, and entertainment.
Speaking during a panel titled “High-Impact Sectors as a Driver for Job Creation” at the third Global Labor Market Conference in Riyadh, Al-Khateeb addressed an international audience that included more than 40 labor ministers, over 200 speakers, and upwards of 10,000 participants representing 100 countries.
He highlighted that tourism generates nearly 10 percent of global employment and contributes an equivalent share to the world economy, noting that it ranks as the largest job-creating sector across industries, according to the UN World Tourism Organization.
Al-Khateeb concluded by underscoring tourism’s critical role in tackling unemployment, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to investing in training and development and ensuring that tourism services across the Kingdom are delivered by skilled Saudi youth.
