What Saudi Tourists and Investors are looking for?

Caribbean Saudi Investment Summit
Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

The Caribbean may be the next big region for Saudi Tourism Investment. The Saudi – Caribbean Tourism conference in Riyadh shed some light.

When walking our beaches or roads in Grenada and someone approaches you, it will be someone who wants to welcome you to our beautiful island.

This was the assurance by the Grenada Minister Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Creative Economy, Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries and Cooperatives, Hon. Lennox Andrew at the Caribbean – Saudi Investment conference yesterday at the Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The CEO of a major Saudi Arabia-based tour operator had asked Caribbean ministers at the Saudi-Caribbean investment conference how safe it was for Saudi Citizens to travel to the Caribbean, referring to anti-Arab sentiments in the United States.

When traveling or investing in travel and tourism-related projects, the same CEO told eTurboNews that Saudis prefer to deal with more familiar Islamic countries.

He added the assurance by Caribbean officials was refreshing and believable. For his company, the most important factor when adding a travel or investment destination is the assurance that Saudi citizens are welcomed and safe.

“It’s not just the beauty, the price level, or the luxury product a destination may offer.”

His comment showed the level of non-communication between Saudi Arabia and the non-islamic world.

The Saudi-Caribbean meeting yesterday brought top officials from five Caribbean island nations to speak with one voice. This alone is historic for a sometimes competitive region depending on tourism to prosper.

Caribbean officials attending included the Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, Hon. I. Chester Cooper, along with the Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett; Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill; and Grenada Minister for Infrastructure and Physical Development, Public Utilities, Civil Aviation, and Transportation, Hon. Dennis Cornwall.

Also present were chiefs of tourism from these Caribbean countries.

All countries pointed out they were in the final process of establishing full diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Only Grenada already completed this step.

Ministers from all countries assured Saudi participants at the conference, Saudi Citizens could enter their countries either visa-free or with Visa on arrival.

All countries offered one or two-stop flights bypassing the need to transit in the United States. Transiting in the U.S. means mandatory transit visas for travelers.

All countries also explained the ease of getting investments approved. Grenada went a step further and invited Saudi Arabian investors to become Grenada citizens using their citizen-by-investment program

The pioneer in tourism relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the Jamaica minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett. He was the first minister in 2019 to establish an MOU with KSA on tourism and investment cooperation. Bartlett brought 6 Caribbean ministers to Ryad for a historic air connectivity roundtable.

Because of this direct codeshare flights to the GCC region from Jamaica were established.

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Share to...