Quality of Life Program: Steady Progress Towards Achieving Saudi Vision 2030 Goals

The Quality of Life Program released its annual report for 2023, detailing achievements across various sectors under the program's scope, with the aim of realizing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. These sectors include urban landscape, security, culture and heritage, sports, tourism, entertainment, and hobbies.
The Quality of Life Program continued to achieve tangible positive results in its strategic indicators, reaching 100% or more in 22 indicators last year. The program contributed SAR 1.5 billion to the GDP in 2023 and advanced the implementation of 127 diverse initiatives in close cooperation with 17 executing agencies.
The report also revealed key indicators and the actual figures achieved in 2023, highlighting extensive efforts to enhance the quality of life and livability. The program is committed to providing options, developing systems, enhancing human capital, and building and developing infrastructure, as well as contributing to enabling and supporting various quality-of-life sectors. Through agreements and partnerships with government entities, the private sector, and the non-profit sector, the program marketed and implemented several investment opportunities worth SAR 800 million in various projects that contribute to achieving Quality of Life objectives.
Significant progress has been achieved in several areas. In urban design, the per capita share of public spaces and places increased by 132%, reaching 6.61 square meters per person. The number of parks reached 8,328, with 5,515 playgrounds and 222.9 million square meters of green spaces. This reflects a strong commitment to improving the urban landscape and enhancing the quality of services, as well as focusing on humanizing cities, addressing visual distortions, developing roads, and promoting digital transformation in the municipal sector.
In the entertainment sector, global events were supported and human resources were developed through various training and educational programs, including an employment program benefiting 600 participants and training 90 entertainment leaders. To support and stimulate investments, entertainment accelerators were launched, encompassing a range of activities, including the incubation of 28 startup projects. The number of entertainment venues increased to 584, surpassing the target by 169%. The indicator "mall space per square meter per capita" achieved a significant increase of 0.68 square meters per person, exceeding the target by 183%. Additionally, the number of hobby clubs reached 569, surpassing the target by 142%.
The tourism sector experienced significant growth over the past year, with more than 100 million tourist visits to the Kingdom from both domestic and international sources by the end of 2023. This milestone was achieved seven years ahead of the pre-set timeline, meeting the strategic goal assigned to the Quality of Life Program (developing the tourism sector) and raising the 2030 target to 150 million tourist visits. Moreover, tourist spending exceeded SAR 250 billion, including SAR 135 billion from incoming tourists. Innovative solutions and electronic applications were also developed, achieving numerous accomplishments within the project to enhance the tourism data system. Additionally, training and qualification opportunities in the sector were provided for young Saudi men and women.
In 2023, significant support was provided for the development and training of Saudi cultural talents through various educational, qualification, and training programs. The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts launched several educational and training initiatives, benefiting over 4,000 participants. The launch of Saudi Artisanal Company was also announced, aiming to create job opportunities for artisans.