Saudi Tourism Program to Train 100,000 Young Saudis

A national tourism training initiative aims to train 100,000 Saudi men and women across the Kingdom's fast-growing tourism and hospitality sector, backed by funding of SAR 375 million. The initiative targets Saudis both inside and outside the country and forms part of the Ministry of Tourism's Human Capital Development Programs.

The initiative supports a broader strategy of 20 training programs designed to create one million jobs over the next 10 years. It is built to upskill both new entrants and existing workers at different career stages across tourism subsectors, from hospitality and culinary services to events, sales, and supporting fields such as finance and information technology.

How the programs work

The 100,000-trainee target is delivered through several branded tracks. Tourism pioneer-type programs offer domestic and overseas training, scholarships, and job placements in countries including France, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, Australia, and Italy. The Hospitality Ambassadors Program sends Saudis for hands-on training with international hotel brands abroad before bringing them back into the local workforce.

The Tourism Oluo Program, run through the Tourism Development Fund, targets fresh graduates in finance, accounting, business administration, IT, and engineering tied to tourism projects, offering stipends, social insurance, medical coverage, and paid leave.

Eligibility across these programs generally requires Saudi nationality, with a focus on recent graduates and early-career professionals. The core national programs are described as funded initiatives and scholarships with no tuition fees for participants, as costs are covered through the SAR 375 million funding and partners.

Some specialized short courses under the wider tourism-skills umbrella do charge fees. For example, tourism and hospitality courses offered by Elaa Academy at the AlUla Languages Institute are priced between SAR 250 and SAR 500 with accredited certificates on completion. The push reflects the Kingdom's wider effort to build a skilled national workforce as tourism expands.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving