AI AND THE FUTURE OF TOURISM: UNLOCKING HUMAN POTENTIAL IN THE AGE OF INTELLIGENCE

The Minister of Tourism discusses the Kingdom's focus on tourism as a key pillar of Vision 2030, aiming to diversify the economy beyond oil. He highlights the growth in leisure, sport, culture, and conference tourism. The discussion emphasizes the importance of attracting high-spending tourists and connecting key exporting countries with Saudi destinations. Riyadh Air's role in the tourism strategy is significant, ensuring connectivity for target markets. The Minister stresses learning from other destinations' mistakes to avoid over-tourism and focusing on a diversified tourism model. AI's integration is explored, aiming to digitalize unnecessary processes while preserving human connection. The goal is to attract middle-class tourists, expand domestic tourism, and create jobs, especially for youth and women. He also mentions the development of AI agents like Noura to assist tourists.