Saudi Arabia releases report detailing Vision 2030 progress for 2024

Saudi Arabia on Friday released its annual report detailing the progress the Kingdom made towards achieving its Vision 2030 goals in the year 2024.

Spearheaded by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Vision 2030 is a strategic framework launched in 2016 to reduce the country’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop key public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.

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Saudi Vision 2030 is built on three strategic pillars: ‘A Vibrant Society,’ which focuses on promoting culture, wellness, and quality of life for citizens and residents; ‘A Thriving Economy,’ which focuses on diversifying the economy, empowering the private sector, and creating job opportunities; and ‘An Ambitious Nation,’ which focuses on building an efficient, transparent government and encouraging civic engagement.

The vision includes major reforms like the privatization of certain government sectors, the empowerment of women in the workforce, opening up to international tourism, and launching cultural and entertainment initiatives.

“We thank God for the achievements our country has made in less than a decade, making it a global model for transformation at all levels. While we are proud of the contributions of our nation’s people who have dedicated their efforts to moving it toward progress and prosperity, we will continue together on the path of construction to achieve more sustainable development for future generations,” King Salman bin Abdulaziz said in a statement.

For his part, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “As we enter the ninth year of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, we are proud of the achievements of our nation’s sons and daughters. They have proven that challenges do not stand in the way of their ambitions. We have achieved our targets and exceeded some of them. We will continue to move steadily toward our 2030 goals. We renew our resolve to redouble our efforts and accelerate the pace of implementation, to invest in every opportunity and strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a leading country on the global level.”

Here is a detailed look at the progress made in 2024:

General info on progress:

85 percent of Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives have been completed and are on the right track.

93 percent of Saudi Vision 2030 indicators have either been achieved, have exceeded their goals, or are close to achieving their interim goals.

674 of the 1,502 initiatives have been completed since their launch.

596 of the 1,502 Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives are on track to being completed by 2030.

257 indicators under Vision 2030 have exceeded their annual targets, and 18 indicators achieved their annual targets.

Eight Vision 2030 targets were achieved six years earlier than expected.

Completed Vision 2030 goals

The Kingdom exceeded the target of reaching 100 million tourists by 2030.

The number of volunteers in the Kingdom exceeded 1.2 million by the end of 2024, surpassing the Vision 2030 target of having one million volunteers.

The Kingdom achieved the Vision 2030 target of having eight heritage sites registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Kingdom exceeded the Vision 2030 target of increasing women’s labor market participation rise to 30 percent, and has reported 33.5 percent participation.

The Kingdom achieved a historic decline in the unemployment rate, achieving the Vision 2030 target of lowering it to seven percent.

The Kingdom jumped 32 places in the E-Participation Index since 2016, reaching seventh place globally and exceeding its Vision 2030 target of reaching the top ten.

The Kingdom jumped 30 places in the United Nations E-Government Development Index since 2016, reaching sixth place globally – nearing its Vision 2030 target of reaching the top five places.

The number of regional headquarters of international companies in the Kingdom exceeded its 2030 target, reaching more than 571 companies.

Indicators of ‘A Vibrant Society’

The Kingdom recorded a total of 16. 92 million Umrah pilgrims in 2024 – not only exceeding the year’s target of welcoming 11.3 million pilgrims, but also the highest number of pilgrims ever recorded.

The rate of Saudi household ownership reached 65.4 percent in 2024, up from 47 percent in 2016 and exceeding the target for the year.

Healthcare services cover 96.4 percent of the Kingdom’s regions and population centers, approaching the Vision 2030 target of 99.5 percent.

A total of 58.5 percent of adults (ages 18 and older) in the Kingdom engage in physical activity for 150 minutes per week, exceeding target for the year 2024.

A total of 18.7 percent of children and adolescents (ages 5 to 17) in the Kingdom engage in physical activity for 60 minutes per day.

The average life expectancy in the Kingdom has increased to 78.8 years, according to World Health Organization data, nearing the 2030 target of raising it to 80 years.

Indicators of ‘A Thriving Economy’

The Public Investment Fund’s total assets under management have more than tripled since the launch of Vision 2030, reaching SAR 3.53 trillion by the end of 2024 – exceeding the target for the year.

The private sector’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s GDP reached 47 percent, exceeding the target for 2024.

The localization of military industries in the Kingdom exceeded its interim target, reaching 19.35 percent – up from 7.7 percent in 2021.

The number of employees in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) reached 7.8 million in 2024 – up from 4.7 million in 2020, exceeding the target for the year.

Four Saudi universities were ranked among the top 500 universities in the world, with King Saud University ranking in at 90 globally, according to the Shanghai Ranking for 2024 – making it the first Saudi university to be among the top 100 global universities.

Indicators of ‘An Ambitious Nation’

The percentage of major companies offering social responsibility programs reached 71.67 percent in 2024, up from 30 percent in 2018 and exceeding the target for the year.

The non-profit sector’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s GDP reached 1 percent, up from 0.2 percent in 2016. It is expected to reach 5 percent in 2030. Additionally, the percentage of workers in the sector increased from 0.13 percent to 64 percent.

Exceptional achievements

Saudi Arabia has advanced 20 places in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking Index since 2016, ranking in at 16 in 2024.

The Kingdom maintains its leading position in the Middle East and North Africa in venture capital, with a 40 percent share.

The Investment Opportunity Index exceeded the 2024 target, generating more than 1,800 investment opportunities in various sectors.

The year 2024 witnessed the entry of the Seha Virtual Hospital into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest virtual hospital in the world.

The Kingdom has the highest number of globally accredited health cities in the region, with 16 cities.

The readiness rate of health regions in the Kingdom to confront health risks reached 92 percent, up from 38 percent in 2019.

Seven Saudi hospitals were listed among the top 250 hospitals in the world.

The King Faisal Specialist Hospital was listed as the world’s best hospital in the use of medical technology.

The number of Saudi families that own their homes by the end of 2024 reached 850,000 families.

A total of 98 percent of litigation sessions in the Kingdom were held electronically in 2024, at a rate exceeding 23 million sessions.

More than 5.3 million electronic agencies have benefited more than 6 million beneficiaries.

Saudi Arabia won 114 medals and grand prizes in the two largest international science, engineering, invention, and innovation competitions: the International Science and Engineering Fair 2024 and ATEX International 2024.

The participation of Saudi women in the labor market reached 36 percent, up from 17 percent in 2017.

A total of 437,000 male and female citizens were employed in the private sector through the Human Resources Development Fund’s programs and initiatives during 2024.

A total of 2.4 million Saudi citizens are working in the private sector by the end of 2024.

A total of 43. 8 percent of Saudi women hold middle and senior management positions.

The traffic accident death rate per 100,000 people decreased from 17.6 in 2018 to 12.3 in 2024.

The Kingdom recorded a 99.85 percent rate in confidence in security services in the country.

The Kingdom ranked first globally in the number of internet users index, second globally in the digital transformation index in companies, and second globally in the technology development and application index.

The number of sports clubs in Saudi Arabia increased to 128 clubs.

The number of sports federations increased from 32 federations in 2015 to 97 federations in 2024, a growth rate of more than 200 percent.

A total of 46 percent of Saudi women reported exercising weekly.

The Kingdom won the bid to host the UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum in 2026.

The Kingdom made progress in the Logistics Performance Index issued by the World Bank, moving from 59th place in 2016 to 38th place in 2024.

King Khalid International Airport ranked the best in the world in terms of punctuality.

A total of 34 new shipping lines were added connecting Saudi ports with ports in the east and west.

The Kingdom advanced to 16th place globally in the IMD Social Responsibility Index, advancing from 41st place in 2021.

The Kingdom topped the G20 countries in the safety index.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia won the bid to host the largest edition of the FIFA World Cup in 2034, and will be the first country in history to host this event alone under its new format.

The Kingdom created the Esports World Cup in 2024 and hosted its first edition.

Medina ranked among the top 100 global tourist destinations in 2024.

AlUla becomes the first destination in the Middle East to received accreditation from Destinations International.

The Kingdom expanded the issuance of electronic visit visas to 56 countries by the end of 2024.

The rate of progress made in upcoming entertainment destinations: 81 percent progress made in Aquarabia Qiddiya City (the largest water theme park in Saudi Arabia) and 87 percent progress made in Six Flags Qiddiya City (the largest amusement park in Saudi Arabia).

The percentage of completion of work in the most prominent artistic destinations.

A 148 percent increase in international tourism revenues was recorded in 2024, compared to 2019.

A total of 16 cultural elements have been registered on UNESCO’s Representative List of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Saudi Arabia welcomed 76.9 million visitors to entertainment events in 2024.

In 2024, arts majors were introduced to the academic sector with the launch of the first specialized College of Arts at King Saud University.

The Kingdom led the G20 countries in the growth of international tourists in 2024, according to the United Nations Tourism Report.

The introduction of the ALLaM model in IBM’s Watsonx platform as one of the best generative AI models in the Arabic language, supporting the inclusion of Arabic content in international organizations.

The number of planted trees reached 115 million by the end of 2024.

The agricultural sector contributed SAR 114 billion to the country’s GDP, up from SAR 109 billion in 2023.

More than 118,000 hectares of degraded land has been rehabilitated, equivalent to the area of more than 165 stadiums, according to FIFA standards.

Four additional renewable energy projects were commissioned during 2024, and the cost of producing electricity from sustainable sources reached rates that are among the lowest in the world.

In 2024, the Kingdom established the world’s first solar-powered desalination plant, located in Khafji, with a design capacity of 60,000 cubic meters per day.

The first hydrogen-powered bus and taxi were launched in the Kingdom in 2024.

The number of endangered animals that were resettled reached more than 7,800 animals living in their natural habitats in the Kingdom.

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