Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib recently visited the city of Madinah to explore various Islamic, heritage, historical, and natural landmarks in the region. He was accompanied by officials from the ministry. During his visit, he toured significant sites such as the Prophet’s Mosque, Quba Mosque, Ghamamah Mosque, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque, Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque, Safiya Museum and Garden, Qubaa Mosque, Saaf House, and Fuqeer Well. Additionally, he visited heritage sites including Suwayqah Market, Ainiah Factory, Quba Street, Madinah Arts Center, Mughisla Neighborhood Project, popular cafes run by Saudis, and Mount Ayr.
The Minister emphasized the unique Islamic and heritage attractions in Madinah and the region’s significant historical status in Islamic history. He expressed his commitment to providing the best services to visitors in line with the leadership’s vision of offering top-quality services to all visitors coming to Madinah from around the world.
In a meeting with hotel directors and national tourism personnel in Madinah, Minister Al-Khatib expressed his satisfaction with the involvement of national talents in leadership roles within the hospitality facilities. This aligns with the ministry’s efforts to empower nationals to lead in the promising tourism sector. He stressed the importance of compliance with tourism regulations to enhance the services provided to visitors, aiming to establish sustainable partnerships with compliant hospitality facilities for offering high-quality tourism services.
The Minister listened to feedback and suggestions from hotel directors regarding the challenges faced in the hospitality sector in Madinah. He pledged to find suitable solutions to ensure the provision of exceptional hospitality services. Additionally, he met with students from Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University specializing in International Hospitality Management, reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to training and developing sector employees to enable nationals to lead in the tourism sector.
The initial data for the tourism sector in Madinah until the end of 2024 revealed significant growth. The number of licensed rooms in the region reached 62,000, a 62% increase compared to the previous year. The number of licensed hospitality facilities exceeded 450 licenses, showing a 93% growth compared to 2023. The workforce in the tourism sector in the region surpassed 55,000 employees, marking a 12% growth from the previous year. The number of jobs licensed by the Ministry of Tourism exceeded 10,000, with an 18% growth compared to 2023, achieving a localization rate of 39%.
