almatar Travel and Tourism Group hosted a delegation from Expedia Group at its headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to celebrate a successful partnership and discuss prospects for strategic cooperation. The partnership aims to increase Expedia’s share in the Saudi market and attract more travelers from global markets to the Kingdom, thus enhancing the growth of the tourism sector as a fundamental pillar in achieving Saudi Vision 2030.
Mr. Faisal Al Rajhi, CEO of almatar Group, said, “These discussions come at a time when the travel and tourism sector in the Kingdom is witnessing unprecedented development, supported by digital transformation and increased reliance on the Internet. Through this partnership, we seek to enhance innovation in providing integrated travel services that meet the needs of local and international customers.”
Remarkable growth for the Saudi market
Al Rajhi explained that the Saudi travel market witnessed remarkable growth in 2023, with the Internet penetration rate reaching 99%, as 91% of Saudi travelers use digital platforms to book their flights and hotels. almatar app, which topped the list of most downloaded apps in the Kingdom, is one of the most prominent examples of the success of digital transformation in the local travel sector.
Expansion in the Middle East
Al-Rajhi added that in the Middle East, the travel sector achieved a growth of 13% in 2023, with expectations that the value of bookings will exceed $127 billion by 2027. This growth is attributed to large investments in infrastructure and increased demand for travel from regional markets.
Expedia’s global presence
Al-Rajhi stated that Expedia is considered one of the most prominent global companies in the travel sector, as it operates in more than 70 countries through nearly 200 websites. The company relies on advanced technologies that include processing 70 petabytes of data and providing more than 800 billion predictions annually using artificial intelligence. Al-Rajhi said: “Having a partner with this technical level enhances our position as a leader in adopting the latest digital solutions in the travel sector.”
Enhancing the tourism experience
Al Rajhi pointed out that “Expedia” provides multiple services that meet the diverse needs of travelers, such as:
_ Expedia.com: A comprehensive platform for booking flights, hotels and car rentals.
_ Hotels.com: Specializes in hotel reservations.
_ Vrbo: For renting tourist homes.
_ Trivago: For comparing hotel prices.
The partnership between “almatar” and “Expedia” is a strategic step to support the Kingdom’s efforts to enhance its position as a global tourist destination. Through this cooperation, the two parties will be able to provide innovative services that meet the aspirations of customers and contribute to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 by enhancing the role of tourism as a major economic driver.