Saudi Arabia has taken another significant step towards positioning itself at the forefront of tourism innovation with the launch of its AI Tourism Vision, a comprehensive strategy designed to embed artificial intelligence throughout the tourism ecosystem. Announced by the Ministry of Tourism in Riyadh, the initiative aims to transform everything from visitor experiences and destination management to investment, business operations and workforce development.
The announcement marks one of the first major implementations of the Riyadh Declaration on the Future of Tourism, adopted during the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly hosted by Saudi Arabia last November. The declaration called for the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to shape the future of global tourism, with Saudi Arabia taking a leading role in developing practical frameworks and international cooperation in this field.
At the heart of the new strategy is TourismX, described by the Ministry as a global AI platform that will provide the digital infrastructure for tomorrow’s tourism industry. Rather than simply offering consumer-facing tools, TourismX has been conceived as an ecosystem for tourism professionals, destinations and investors, allowing artificial intelligence to support every stage of planning, design and service delivery.
The beta version already includes an impressive suite of practical applications, including an AI-powered hotel interior designer, menu creation software for restaurants, branding and identity generators, hotel standard operating procedure generators, tour guide assistants and automated tour script creators. Collectively, these tools are designed to help tourism businesses improve productivity, reduce costs and accelerate innovation.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb compared artificial intelligence to the infrastructure revolutions that transformed economies in previous decades: “Just as infrastructure reshaped economies over past decades, artificial intelligence is now reshaping how we discover destinations, design experiences, and manage tourism services,” he said. “Our ambition is for Saudi Arabia to become the global benchmark for smart tourism.”
Al-Khateeb added: “We are leveraging AI to enhance the visitor experience, empower investors, and improve the productivity of operators and professionals across the sector. Our ambition is for Saudi Arabia to become the global benchmark for smart tourism, and a model for using technology to serve people and improve quality of life.”
The Ministry simultaneously introduced the beta version of the Saudi MT App, bringing together digital services for investors, tourism businesses, tour guides and industry professionals through a single platform powered by an AI assistant named Noura. In parallel, the new MT Developer Portal will provide APIs and integration tools enabling technology companies to build new digital tourism applications on top of the Ministry’s infrastructure.
These launches build upon several AI initiatives already deployed by the Ministry, including Smart Inspector, which supported inspection teams during the 1447H Hajj season, and Smart Check-In, developed to streamline the reception and accommodation of pilgrims.
The initiative reflects Saudi Arabia’s wider national strategy to become a global leader in artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, the Kingdom designated 2026 as the Year of AI, reinforcing its ambition to accelerate AI adoption across government and industry while supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
For tourism, the implications extend well beyond operational efficiency. As visitor numbers continue to grow towards the Kingdom’s target of 150 million annual visits by 2030 (combining domestic and international tourism), AI is increasingly being viewed as an essential tool for managing destination capacity, personalising visitor experiences, improving sustainability and supporting tourism businesses of all sizes.
The launch of the AI Tourism Vision also reinforces Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in shaping international tourism policy. Through the Riyadh Declaration, the Kingdom has already helped place artificial intelligence firmly on the agenda of UN Tourism, with work now underway on global AI guidelines, maturity frameworks and strategic roadmaps that could influence destinations worldwide over the coming decades.
With TourismX, the Ministry is now moving from policy to implementation—offering what could become one of the world’s most comprehensive AI platforms dedicated specifically to the tourism sector.
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