New Marketing Offensive

The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has launched its most ambitious international marketing campaign to date, specifically targeting the fast-growing Asian tourism markets. The SAR 2 billion "Discover Saudi" campaign will run across digital, television, and outdoor advertising channels in China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asian nations.

New Direct Routes

To support the campaign, Saudia Airlines has announced 12 new direct routes to Asian cities:

• Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou (China)
• Tokyo, Osaka (Japan)
• Seoul (South Korea)
• Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore (India)
• Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta (Southeast Asia)

Visa Simplification

A new instant e-visa system for Asian passport holders has been launched, reducing processing time from 48 hours to under 5 minutes. Chinese tourists can now apply via WeChat and Alipay. Japanese and Korean nationals receive visa-on-arrival.

Cultural Initiatives

The campaign includes cultural exchange programs, Arabic language courses for Asian tour guides, Mandarin and Japanese signage at major tourist sites, and partnerships with Asian travel platforms including Trip.com, Rakuten Travel, and MakeMyTrip.