Business · Companies · 7 hrs ago
Saudi Arabia approves first 19 hospitality investment projects
Saudi Arabia has approved 19 hospitality projects in the first group backed by a government investment programme.
The Tourism and Investment ministries are working together to help private businesses build in five promising tourism destinations.
The programme offers investment support intended to reduce operating costs and make projects more attractive to investors.
The projects are expected to enable up to 6.7 billion riyals in investment and create more than 17,000 jobs.
They are also expected to add over 3,000 hotel rooms, with about 40% in coastal destinations.
By 2030, the projects are forecast to contribute more than 2.4 billion riyals a year directly to Saudi Arabia’s economy.
The first projects are due to open by the end of 2026, with the rest scheduled to begin operating by 2029, ahead of major events including Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism and investment ministries approved the first 19 projects under a programme supporting investment in the hospitality sector.
The projects span five promising tourist destinations and are expected to attract investments worth up to 6.7 billion riyals and create more than 17,000 jobs.
They are expected to add more than 3,000 hotel rooms, about 40% of them in coastal destinations.
The programme aims to lower operating costs for eligible projects and make private investment in tourism more attractive.
The first projects are expected to begin operating by the end of 2026, with the rest opening through 2029.
- Who
- Saudi Arabia’s ministries of tourism and investment approved the projects.
- What
- They approved the first 19 projects benefiting from a hospitality investment support programme.
- When
- 19 October 2026.
- Where
- Five promising tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia; the destinations are not named.
- Why
- The programme aims to reduce operating costs, encourage private investment and expand hospitality capacity to meet growing tourism demand.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The ministries approved the first group of projects at a joint event.
The first projects benefiting from the programme are expected to begin operating.
The remaining projects are expected to open, with all projects reaching full operation before major events including Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup.
- Projects
- 19 across five tourist destinations
- Potential investment
- Up to 6.7 billion riyals
- Expected jobs
- More than 17,000
- Hotel rooms
- More than 3,000; around 40% in coastal destinations
- Expected annual GDP contribution by 2030
- More than 2.4 billion riyals
- Expected local-content contribution
- More than 5.3 billion riyals
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What people are saying
The programme embodies our ongoing commitment to enabling private-sector investment and keeping pace with growing tourism demand in the Kingdom.
The hospitality investment enablers programme represents a model of integration among government entities in developing enablers that strengthen private-sector participation and stimulate quality investments.