RIYADH: The Saudi tourism ministry’s promotional brand, Visit Saudi, has partnered with Spanish football league LaLiga to showcase the Kingdom’s attractiveness as the world’s fastest-growing destination. The partnership aims to promote Saudi Arabia as the most exciting year-round destination, where football passion merges with fostering ties among diverse cultures and bringing communities together, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Additionally, the collaboration will boost Visit Saudi’s efforts to highlight the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and role as a major hub for unprecedented sporting and cultural interactions in today’s football landscape. “Football and travel bridge cultures and unite people,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of Saudi Tourism Authority. “Saudi Arabia has millions of incredibly passionate football fans and as we continue to create a dynamic year-round destination, full of cultural events, we look forward to welcoming international travellers to experience the largest sporting and cultural exchange in sporting history, helping us in bringing the world to Saudi and bringing Saudi to the world,” Hamidaddin continued. According to SPA, this will exemplify the long-standing relationship between LaLiga and Saudi Arabia, as Saudi football players have represented leagues in Spain and vice versa. “Saudi Arabia has embraced the sport, elevating football to its pinnacle as the most played and followed activity across the nation, and the level of participation in the under 30s continues to increase,” Iker Casillas, ambassador of LaLiga said. The alliance will expand the limits of brand activation through a wide range of events, including a high-profile debut event, followed by many more activities that will be held in the Kingdom, the announcement added. “Signing this agreement demonstrates our strong commitment to advancing sports and football science in the Arab world, as well as expanding our presence, and that of our clubs, in a relevant global sports hub,” Oscar May, executive director of LaLiga said. Through this strategic partnership, LaLiga and Visit Saudi will jointly highlight Saudi Arabia"s travel trends, attracting a wide range of local, regional, and global travelers. The project will be produced through innovative collaborations, sponsorship agreements, partnerships, digital content, and immersive consumer events that are intended to increase audience engagement, SPA reported.