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The cultural and economic reforms undergone by Saudi Arabia since 2016 are perhaps most visible in the entertainment sector. For over three decades entertainment and cultural outlets such as cinemas, art galleries and theatres were banned. So too were artistic practices including filmmaking and live music. Since being elevated to a position of executive importance, however,...

Saudi Arabia is rolling out a broad tourism offering across the country as a central part of its Vision 2030 national transformation strategy. Following the launch of the tourist visa programme in September 2019 and the subsequent downturn associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 and 2022 have featured an ambitious calendar of events ranging from the Formula 1 Grand Prix,...

The global tourism industry – which accounted for 10% of GDP and 8% of global emissions in 2019 – is faced with the challenge of ensuring continued growth while working towards net-zero emissions goals. Several stakeholders in emerging markets and further afield offer useful case studies to understand what a decarbonised future for the industry could look like.

As part of its long-term plans for economic diversification away from hydrocarbons, Saudi Arabia has set far-reaching goals for the development of its tourism sector. It seeks to achieve 100m domestic and international tourist trips per year, a significant target when compared to global benchmarks. For comparison, France, the global leader in international tourist arrivals,...