With its long-term vision, the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) is responsible for discovering the untapped potential of tourism that could diversify the economy and expand national interests. 

The Kingdom has recognized the urgent need to adopt an economic shift that challenges the conventional models of previous years, by tasking the MOT to promote a large number of internationally renowned attractions for the world to experience.

Tourism is one of the largest contributing sectors globally. With its steady growth rate, tourists' interests often lie in remote areas because of their traditional culture, wildlife, and landscape appeal. Alongside its Vision 2030, the Kingdom has no shortage of such attractions and it frequently develops more sites and in more significant numbers. 

In 2004 the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) became a supporter of the Ministry of Tourism. The support varied in multiple ways, ranging from capacity development, regulations and system process setup, research and recommendations, and operational management. 

This coincided with the creation of the Kingdom's first E-Visa digital platform. Making the Kingdom more accessible and bringing it into the modern digital age. The platform aims to service tourists in all capacities with international standards and levels of service. In addition, the UNDP also conducted a range of various training programs that assisted in the utilization of the E-visa portal, including management, monitoring, and evaluation. 

The UNDP had also supported a new and near-future program related to "Eco-tourism." Putting forward recommendations that improve visa issuance procedures and access to various Saudi historical and heritage sites alongside UNESCO and UNWTO. 

Over 21 key UNDP international experts participated in supporting the MOT and its program objectives, which offered wide and diverse values and approaches for the Kingdom and the MOT to consider. 

In addition to the high-quality levels of service and assurances, the UNDP and its support staff had also provided the MOT with:

• High levels of technical assistance.
• Detailed reviews.
• Policy and operational evaluations.

Supporting the MOT is of significant importance to the UNDP, as it results in the generation of jobs in various and remote areas of the Kingdom. Moreover, it builds a robust private-public partnership mechanism that achieves mutual national interest.