Britain’s national tourism agency VisitBritain and the Saudi Tourism Authority have signed a Declaration of Intent, setting out areas of co-operation between Britain and Saudi Arabia to develop and grow tourism.

The declaration, announced during Great Futures (May 14-15), a major trade expo being held in Riyadh by the UK Government’s Great campaign, in partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Government, was officially signed by VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates and the CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority Fahd Hamidaddin.

VisitBritain and the Saudi Tourism Authority will collaborate on sharing knowledge and expertise on both domestic and international tourism.

Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said: “This agreement offers enormous opportunities for Saudi Arabia and UK to boost tourism and underlines the close relationship between the two countries.

“We are proud to have hosted more than 165,000 friends from Britain between January and March this year and to have welcomed 100 million visitors in 2023.

“We are developing remarkable projects that celebrate our unique culture and heritage as part of our $800 billion (£640 billion) investment in the Saudi tourism industry, aiming for them to become as iconic as UK attractions like the Tower of London and Stonehenge, and we see limitless potential ahead to welcome visitors from Britain and around the world.”

UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “Our tourism industry is an integral part of what makes Britain so great, from our breathtaking landscapes and coastlines, to the treasure trove of heritage and culture to be found in our towns, villages and cities – all backed by a brilliant, dedicated workforce.          

“We’re committed to helping the sector keep growing from strength to strength and I’m delighted that VisitBritain has signed this agreement so we can share the UK’s invaluable expertise on tourism and gain key insights from our Saudi partners."

VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “Visiting the UK is easier than ever for Saudi nationals with the roll-out of the Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme and we are delighted to sign this Declaration with the Saudi Tourism Authority, collaborating to drive growth from tourism between our countries.

“Working with the Saudi Tourism Authority also builds on our wider engagement in Saudi Arabia, from our ongoing work with the travel trade to sell British destinations to our Great Britain marketing campaigns to inspire more Saudis to choose Britain for their next visit.” -