New US$133 million Discover Saudi platform launched to drive tourism

Under the brand name, Discover Saudi, Saudi-based Seera Group has launched the kingdom's first integrated destination management company. The new US$133 million Discover Saudi platform supports the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to transform tourism as one of the key economic growth sectors.

It will complement the goal of welcoming over 100 million annual overnight visitors and increasing the share of tourism to the kingdom’s GDP to 10% by 2030.

Unveiled at the World Travel Market in London by Abdullah Al-Dawood, group Chief Executive of Seera Group, the brand identity and strategic outlook of Discover Saudi is set to catalyse international inbound tourism as well as domestic tourism.

Abdullah Al-Dawood advised that “the launch of Discover Saudi is part of our SR1 billion investment in driving tourism development in the kingdom with a distinctive value proposition. Our goal is to serve as the go-to company for inbound and domestic tour operators and travel agencies – as well as international and domestic visitors – to access high-quality, rich, local experiences, backed by seamless service delivery.”

With its focus on developing the kingdom’s tourism ecosystem, Discover Saudi aims to address a gap in the industry – with only 2% of inbound trips being for leisure.

In addition to offering curated experiences for international and domestic travellers, it will also focus on offering Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and business travellers a platform to discover and explore the kingdom’s rich cultural, touristic and entertainment attractions.

Though primarily serving the B2B sector and the B2C sector through its own sales points such as airport kiosks, Discover Saudi will perform the core functions of promoting Saudi Arabia as a must-visit tourist destination.

With over 70 activities identified under six themes – tourism, nature, sports, entertainment, F&B, and culture & arts – Discover Saudi will initially offer city tours, cultural tours and desert experiences.

As part of the launch, Seera Group said it has also partnered with the Royal Commission for AlUla and Panthera to help raise funds for the protection of the critically endangered Arabian leopards, as part of the first major corporate social responsibility initiative under Discover Saudi.