Madinah is in the Top 100 Global Tourist Spots

Madinah has scaled three positions in the Tourism Performance Index’s global ranking.

At the same time, Makkah Al-Mukarramah held steady for the second consecutive year and set a new record by rising 20% to fifth place in the index of the best cities for international access.

According to the Euromonitor International report, which ranks regions based on 55 criteria spread across six main axes, Madinah topped Saudi cities. It came in fifth in the Gulf, sixth in the Arab world, seventh in the Middle East, and 88th overall in the list of the top 100 tourist destinations worldwide for 2017-2024.

The index’s six axes cover economic, commercial, and tourism performance, tourism infrastructure, tourism policies and attractiveness, as well as health, safety, and sustainability.

Madinah’s ranking among the top 100 tourist attractions is a result of its efforts to improve the experiences of God’s guests and tourists in the area. Strategic development, service enhancement, and guest enrichment are the cornerstones of these initiatives.

Since many strategic projects have been implemented in recent years to improve the visitor experience—such as improving services for God’s guests, developing infrastructure, increasing the effectiveness of tourism facilities, activating historical sites, and launching numerous initiatives and programs—Madinah has been able to successfully combine its religious status with its growth as a modern tourist destination. These projects have had a positive impact on both the quality of life for its residents and the experience of its visitors year-round.

Read more: The Abha Valley Tourism Project Aims to Revitalise Asir’s Traditional Culture

An all-inclusive travel location

In the context of the Kingdom’s ambitious vision, Madinah drives further development and investment and strengthens its position as a unique global destination that draws millions of tourists each year. Madinah has become an integrated tourist destination that combines cultural and historical heritage with the development of services and infrastructure.

This achievement is a testament to Madinah’s position on the list of competing tourist destinations and demonstrates the effectiveness of the Kingdom’s strategy to increase the competitiveness of Saudi cities at the international level.

In line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the country’s economy and boost the tourism industry, the Madinah Region Development Authority affirmed that this accomplishment is the consequence of the tremendous efforts made by government organisations and private sector partners throughout the region.

The “Winter in Madinah” campaign, recently launched by the Madinah Development Authority, is to raise awareness of the rich historical and cultural legacy that enhances the experiences of both locals and tourists, as well as to encourage family-friendly events and activities.

The campaign promotes the exploration of Madinah with all of its historical, religious, and cultural sites and features over 30 items and tourism experiences. It is significant to highlight that one of the most significant international resources for examining the performance of national and local tourism is the “Euromonitor International” report.

“Euromonitor International,” a pioneer in market research and data analysis, releases the report every year. It offers a thorough assessment of the performance of tourist destinations by examining a number of important metrics, including infrastructure, visitor movement, economic performance, and tourist experience.

Saudi Arabia’s Outstanding Rise in Tourism

According to the most recent United Nations Tourism report, Saudi Arabia continued to record notable numbers in the number of foreign visitors, ranking third in the world for the highest growth rate in the first eight to nine months of this year, with a growth rate of 61% compared to the same period in 2019.

The Kingdom led the movement of increasing ranks among the first fifty nations, moving up 15 spots in the world’s list of countries in terms of foreign visitor expenditure, and came in at number twelve internationally in 2023 compared to 2019. When comparing the first seven months of 2024 to 2019, Saudi Arabia led the G20 in the increase in foreign visitor numbers.

Read more: Saudi Arabia: The World’s Most Prominent Religious Tourism Destination