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Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Khateeb said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia has not taken any steps to lift the ban on alcohol sales, noting that visitors are drawn to the Kingdom to experience its diverse cultural, historical, and entertainment offerings.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the 2025 Fortune Global Forum, held in Riyadh for the first time on October 26–27, al-Khateeb stated that the Kingdom has exceeded its previous tourism targets.
The minister affirmed that the number of visitors increased from 80 million in 2019 to 116 million at present, surpassing the original target of 100 million.
Al-Khateeb stated that the share of religious tourism has declined to 50% of total visitors to the Kingdom, compared to 60% in the past.
He explained that while the absolute number of pilgrims and visitors to the holy sites continues to increase, their proportion within the overall tourism sector has decreased.
He added that the new goal for 2030 has been set at 150 million visitors, including 50 million international tourists, a benchmark that would position Saudi Arabia among the world’s top ten most-visited countries.
When asked whether the Kingdom plans to relax cultural restrictions—such as alcohol laws or dress codes on beaches— al-Khateeb described it as a “usual question”, reaffirming that Saudi Arabia has taken no steps to lift its alcohol ban and continues to focus on offering diverse cultural, historical, and entertainment experiences within its own values and traditions.
He emphasized that the Kingdom has already made significant progress in relaxing dress codes, particularly in its coastal and tourism areas.
"went a long way with the dress code", he said.
He pointed out that the tourism sector represents one of the main pillars of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, emphasizing the government’s efforts to develop the sector and open new avenues for investment in ways that promote economic growth and create job opportunities for youth and women.
The meeting also addressed whether Ras Gamila—a coastal area of Egypt along the Red Sea—might be purchased by Saudi Arabia for investment.
Al-Khateeb said that the government has not yet decided whether to invest in a Red Sea coastal area in Egypt, despite Cairo’s plans to attract Saudi investment for developing the largely untouched Ras Gamila region near Sharm El-Sheikh.
The announcement follows major Emirati investments along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
When asked about a potential Saudi investment in Egypt’s Red Sea coast, al-Khateeb said during the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh that the Kingdom is prioritizing the development of new domestic destinations, such as the Red Sea Global project, which includes plans to open 17 new hotels by May next year.
Al-Khateeb also noted that FIFA has informed Saudi Arabia that it already has sufficient hotel capacity to accommodate the fans expected to attend the 2034 World Cup.
“They reviewed the number of rooms available today, and we are qualified,” he said. “But we are adding more rooms and creating a better experience — for example, luxury destinations.”
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