Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: The Saudi Ministry of Tourism aims to increase the share of Saudi nationals in leadership positions across the tourism sector to 50% by 2028, as part of efforts to build a strong national workforce in one of the Kingdom’s fastest-growing industries.

Hassan Jannah, Deputy Minister for Data and Decision Support at the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, who is in charge of developing human capabilities, told Al Arabiya that the ministry is currently enhancing national skills through advanced education and training programs targeting all job levels.

The ministry recently implemented an executive training program for 198 employees to obtain an Executive Master’s in International Hotel Management. A second cohort of 300 trainees is underway, covering four specializations in partnership with leading global tourism education institutions, and is expected to conclude next year.

As part of its broader workforce goals, the ministry seeks to raise total employment in tourism-related activities — including hotels, restaurants, and transport — to 1.6 million jobs by 2030, up from around one million today. Over the past few years, more than 685,000 training opportunities have been provided both domestically and internationally to develop Saudi talents, from soft skills to leadership and technical expertise.

Notably, the ministry’s Saudization policy targets achieving 50% national employment across all licensed tourism establishments by 2028, in line with Vision 2030’s objective of creating a diverse, talent-driven economy.