Visa and Saudi Tourism Authority launch Tourism Data Lab

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Saudi Arabia - Visa, a world leader in digital payments, and Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) have announced the launch of their Tourism Data & Campaigns Management Lab.

A first of its kind in the region, the Lab supports the Saudi government’s efforts to promote Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector and enhance the visitor journey.

The Visa-STA Tourism Data Lab offers data-driven insights on travel and tourism trends, enabling STA to make informed decisions on campaigns and initiatives to drive tourism into Saudi Arabia, and enhance collaboration with travel industry stakeholders.

Pivotal pillar

Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Regional General Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, said: “Saudi Arabia is fast emerging as a leisure and business tourism hub with enriching experiences awaiting visitors. The industry is also a pivotal pillar in Saudi Vision 2030’s economic diversification and job creation goals. We are therefore pleased to partner with STA in launching the region’s first Tourism Data Lab in Saudi Arabia that will enrich our local partners’ and clients’ efforts to enhance the tourism experience of visitors to Saudi Arabia and support the government’s tourism ambitions.”

Abdulkarim Aldarwish, President of MEA Markets at STA, said: “Saudi Arabia, with its rich natural, historical, religious, and cultural attractions, is fast emerging as a major global destination for business and leisure. Our partnership with Visa underscores STA’s commitment to placing the tourist at the heart of what we do and using evidence-based insights to better understand the visitor wishlist. By exchanging and analysing data, and offering products and tailored promotional packages, we aim to significantly improve the tourist experience and attract more visitors from key regional markets."

The strategic collaboration will be powered by the world’s largest payments database, VisaNet, which provides a comprehensive wealth of data on incoming tourism and extensive insight into how governments can optimise their cashless strategy. The insights generated from the data include visitor journeys and spending behaviours across different categories, seasonality, digital adoption, and customer types, allowing for a holistic overview of how to create customer-centric payments experiences.