LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb on Monday inaugurated the Kingdom’s pavilion at the World Travel Market exhibition in London, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Arabia’s participation in the exhibition reflects its role as one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world, achieving 13th position in the number of incoming tourists in 2022. Al-Khateeb said that participating in the annual exhibition — one of the world’s most important tourism expos, underscores Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a leading global tourist destination, reflecting its rich cultural heritage, natural landscapes and tourist attractions. The Kingdom had positioned itself as a global focal point as it is made its mark on the international tourism map, the minister said. Due to continuing developments in the sector, he said that targets had been increased to aim for 150 million visits and 70 million international tourists annually by 2030. The minister said that the WTM exhibition provided an opportunity for the tourism sector to establish strategic partnerships with major global markets. Al-Khateeb said that the Kingdom aimed to use its participation at the exhibition to open new horizons and attract a more diverse range of tourists from around the world. The Kingdom’s participation reaffirms its leading role in driving the global tourism sector’s growth and prosperity. Saudi Arabia received 17 million tourists in the first seven months of 2023, with a target to reach 30 million tourists by the end of the year. The first quarter of 2023 witnessed remarkable growth, with a 64 percent increase in the number of tourists, ranking Saudi Arabia second in terms of growth of incoming tourists worldwide.