Saudi Arabia to pay airlines to bring tourists to the country

Saudi wants to increase tourism by paying airlines.

Saudi Arabia is trying to increase tourist arrivals by offering airlines incentives to fly unprofitable routes to major global cities.

The Persian Gulf kingdom wants to attract 100 million visitors by 2030.

Saudia has signed a deal with the Saudi government to fly to Switzerland and Spain.

Foreign carriers will be the focus of the program.

The main goal is to create flights to our main target markets.

Airlines will be compensated for their losses from flying direct flights to these hubs.

It wasn't immediately clear how much was put aside for the program.

To size it, we have to negotiate with every carrier.

It shows how limited the options are for travellers to get there.

The goal is to encourage airlines to fly new routes to and from Saudi Arabia by sharing start-up financial risks for routes that promise long-term viability.

Saudi Arabia's ambitious tourism push is the latest step in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Laden's strategy to reduce reliance on the world's largest crude oil exports and turn Riyadh into a global business center.