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Remember Saudi Arabia? The country with vast deserts and seemingly endless oil reserves. Now, a new story is emerging. And it has to do with millions of tourists! Saudi Arabia’s tourism boom is breaking records and exceeding expectations. Also read: Saudi Arabia Tourism Board Interview: Why you should visit Saudi Arabia Everything you need to know about Saudi Arabia’s tourism boom Image Credit: MOHAMED HUSSAIN YOUNIS via Canva Pro According to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s 2024 report, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector grew its contribution to the country’s GDP by an astounding 32% in 2023. This is equivalent to…

In the early 1980s, Gatlinburg’s Xanadu House stood as a celebration of progress and innovation — or poor taste, depending on your perspective. It was demolished within five years, but the reminder of a lost East Tennessee relic remains.Those who’ve had the chance to visit may remember the home’s “float-to-relax” sensory tanks, “futuristic amenities,” and computer room, as described in the Xanadu House brochure. They’ll almost certainly remember its all-white facade and strange, domed protrusions.When it first opened in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, people were fascinated by the exciting possibilities of what could come in the next millennium, but…

The Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority took part in the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for the first time, with CEO Fahad Hamidaddin speaking about the vital role creativity plays in shaping the discourse around tourism, and the country more broadly. Saudi Arabia has placed creativity and innovation at the heart of its efforts to diversify its economy and harness opportunities on the path to transformation. Tourism is a visible showcase, leveraging creativity to help stimulate dialogue and break down prejudices around dramatic change on the ground.In a 30-minute address attended by leading creatives from around the world, Saudi Tourism…

Belgium’s Flanders and Wallonia regions have recovered from the coronavirus tourism crisis, but the Belgian capital, Brussels, is still lagging behind, according to official figures. According to the national statistics office (Statbel), tourist numbers in Brussels have not yet reached, let alone exceeded, pre-COVID levels: only 7.1 million tourists stayed overnight in the Belgian capital in 2023. That’s a 15% increase over 2022, a step in the right direction, but a notable 4% decrease compared to 2019. Brussels is the third most popular accommodation destination in 2023, behind Wallonia and Flanders In contrast, the Nordic countries as a whole are…

Agoda and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have renewed their partnership to jointly promote Singapore as a top travel destination in Southeast Asia through the “Reason to Travel” campaign. This latest agreement builds on Agoda and STB’s partnership first established in 2022, and entails a year-long initiative aimed at enhancing the travel experience in Singapore by showcasing travellers the city’s diverse and vibrant experiences. From left: Agoda’s Pranjal Kalra, Eunice Yue and Omri Morgenstern; STB’s Melissa Ou, Juliana Quah and Jian-Xuan Li. Agoda customers can choose from a range of activities on the platform when booking their next trip. In…

Skift Take The main reasons Cambodian tourists visit India are religious tourism to Buddhist sites and affordable medical treatment. The launch of the first direct flight between the two countries is expected to encourage Cambodian tourists to explore various destinations in the country. Cambodia, in turn, is hoping to attract Indian tourists, who are becoming increasingly important in the region. But it will take more than direct flights to attract Indian travellers. Bulbul Dhawan The first direct flight between India and Cambodia was launched over the weekend. The Phnom Penh-New Delhi flight will be operated by Cambodia’s national carrier Cambodia…

China has recently been making efforts to attract international tourists through favorable policies, with great success. Following the announcement of visa-free travel for Australians and New Zealanders, China’s National Immigration Administration released impressive travel data for the May Day Golden Week and the recently concluded Dragon Boat Festival.According to the National Immigration Administration, a total of 8.47 million international and domestic tourists crossed China’s borders during this year’s May Day holiday. In particular, the number of visitors from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan was 2.92 million, up 20.8% from the previous year, and the number of foreign visitors was 779,000,…

Alaska’s capital city will impose new limits on the number of cruise ship passengers who can visit in a day, following a post-pandemic tourism surge.Last year, Juneau’s roughly 32,000 residents endured throngs of hikers, swarms of whale watchers and swarms of helicopters hovering overhead, while a total of about 1.6 million tourists disembarked at the port, up to 21,000 a day at peak times.The city government has now signed a voluntary agreement with the cruise ship industry to limit the number of ships that can call at the port each day starting in 2026.The agreement limits calls to ships with…

The rollout of high-speed rail across Asia is driving an exciting revolution in rail travel and shaping new tourism trends, including for Gary Bowerman.Monday, October 2, 2023, was a landmark day in the history of rail travel in Southeast Asia. The new Whoosh train slowly pulled out of Jakarta’s Halim Station, cementing Indonesia’s status as ASEAN’s first high-speed rail nation. Painted to resemble Indonesia’s Komodo dragon, the Chinese-built high-speed train sprinted at speeds of up to 350 kph along the 142-km stretch of track between Indonesia’s capital and its third-largest city, Bandung. A high-speed train called “Whoosh” with the “Whoosh”…

Officials say tourism generated about $9 billion in revenue for the state last summer. BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — The numbers are impressive: 8.5 million tourists took overnight trips in Maine last year and spent more than $9 billion, according to the Maine Tourism Office, with the overall impact on Maine’s economy estimated at $16 billion. While visitor numbers were actually slightly down compared to 2022, tourists stayed longer and spent more last year. “People are staying longer and spending more,” said Carolyn Ouellet, the tourism board’s director. “It’s not about attracting more tourists, but [about] How visitors spend their time…