Ministry of Tourism

Saudi government ministry responsible for the tourism sector, established in 2020 and based in Riyadh. In June 2026 it launched an AI Tourism Vision that includes the TourismX platform.

Industry: Government administration, tourism | Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Founded: 2020

About Ministry of Tourism

The Ministry of Tourism is the Saudi Arabian government ministry responsible for the kingdom's tourism sector. Wikipedia reports that it was established on 25 February 2020 by converting the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage into a ministry, that it is based in Riyadh, and that its affiliated bodies include the Saudi Tourism Authority, the Saudi Red Sea Authority, the Tourism Development Fund, the Tourism Development Council and the Tourism Information and Research Center.

Ahmed Al-Khateeb is the Minister of Tourism. In June 2026 he spoke at the FII Priority Europe Summit in Rome, where he said Saudi Arabia is using artificial intelligence in tourism and wants it to support people in welcoming guests. Asharq Al-Awsat reported figures from the 2025 annual statistical report presented there: about 123 million tourists, of whom 29.3 million were inbound and 93.3 million domestic, and total tourism spending of about SAR 304 billion.

The ministry hosted the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly in Riyadh from 7 to 11 November 2025, the first time the Assembly met in the Middle East, according to the Government of Monaco. In an Arab News article published on 11 November 2025, the minister wrote that Saudi Arabia aims to welcome 150 million tourists by 2030.

On 30 June 2026 the ministry launched an AI Tourism Vision within Saudi Arabia's Year of AI 2026, TechScoop reported. Its main element is TourismX, a platform in beta that includes an AI hotel interior designer, a hotel procedures generator and assistants for tour guides. The ministry also released a beta Saudi MT App for investors, operators and guides, with an assistant named Noura, and an MT Developer Portal that opens its APIs to outside developers. Earlier tools include the Smart Inspector used during the Hajj season and a Smart Check-In tool for pilgrims.

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