Saudi Arabia Tops in Tourism Growth at G20 Ministers of Tourism Summit Held in Brazil

On the eve of the official G20 Ministers of Tourism meeting, a significant side event was held, urging a fresh approach to tourism policy and governance with a focus on people and the planet. Hosted under Brazil’s G20 Presidency, high-level representatives from countries including Azerbaijan, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the USA, along with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), came together. They emphasized the powerful role tourism plays in both the global economy and society and highlighted its untapped potential to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while helping to reduce inequalities within and among nations.

Amidst a complex array of global challenges, participants at the event recognized that with tourism's growth comes a rise in multidimensional externalities. These externalities demand a thorough rethinking of how tourism is planned, governed, and managed. The event emphasized three key takeaways:

G20 countries represent a significant portion of global tourism, accounting for over 70% of international tourist arrivals and tourism receipts, and 82% of the sector’s global GDP. In 2023, tourism directly contributed 3.1% of the G20’s GDP (USD 2.8 trillion) and generated 5% of all exports from the group. The sector’s service exports, worth USD 1.3 trillion, constituted 23% of all G20 service exports.

The numbers demonstrate the G20’s outsized role in global tourism: in 2023, these economies welcomed 900 million international tourist arrivals. By the first seven months of 2024, tourist arrivals across G20 countries had reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels. Several nations, including Saudi Arabia (+73%), Türkiye (+15%), Spain (+11%), Japan (+7%), and Brazil (+1%), led this resurgence, surpassing 2019 numbers and setting the stage for further growth.

The side event featured key speakers from the world’s top tourism economies. Among them were Mr. Kanan Gasimov, Head of Administration for Azerbaijan's State Tourism Agency, and several ministers, including HE Soraya Martinez Ferrada from Canada, HE Verónica Pardo from Chile, HE Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from India, and HE Martini M. Paham from Indonesia. Also present were HE Edmund Bartlett from Jamaica, HE Sultan AlMusallam from Saudi Arabia, HE Jordi Hereu Boher from Spain, HE Alex Lasry from the USA, and Pedro Martel from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Each leader contributed valuable perspectives on how tourism can play a more active role in fostering sustainable development, addressing inequality, and supporting long-term economic resilience.