Fahd Hamidaddin is the CEO of and board member of the Saudi Tourism Authority.

He is responsible for delivering on the authority’s mandate to build domestic and inbound visitation by developing, packaging and distributing tourism offerings in collaboration with the industry. He also oversees the development of the Visit Saudi destination brand and the monitoring of visitor experiences.

Before taking on his current role, Hamidaddin served as chief of investment, strategy and tourism marketing officer for the Saudi Ministry of Tourism. He played a leading role in launching the electronic visa and introducing the Visit Saudi brand with a global campaign that established the Kingdom as the world’s most exciting new tourism destination.

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism recently launched the “Saudi Summer” initiative in an effort to resume and promote domestic tourism activities in the Kingdom.

During a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Hamidaddin said 81 percent of Saudis are unwilling to travel outside the Kingdom this summer, according to an extensive survey on tourism. The ministry is working to empower local businesses in the industry and help them overcome the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The pandemic has left people feeling stifled. Our role is to turn that feeling into something that could help them relax. People just want to breathe right now,” he said.

Previously, Hamidaddin was chief commercial officer at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) beginning in 2012. His responsibilities included the company’s marketing, corporate communications, and sustainable development groups. He also led the city’s customer experience, investment promotions, and activation, and strengthened KAEC’s strategic partnership with key media outlets to help promote it as a residential and business destination.

Before joining KAEC, Hamidaddin was chief of marketing and competitiveness at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), where he won five international awards for communications, advertising campaigns and online marketing strategy.

In addition to sitting on the board of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Hamidaddin is also a member of the board of trustees for the Prince Mohammad bin Salman College for Business and Entrepreneurship, the board of the General Authority for Conventions and Exhibitions and several government committees.