Despite its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2060, the country remains hugely dependent on crude oil exports that have powered its growth for decades, raising doubts about its potential for an economic makeover any time soon.

"We want to lessen our dependence on oil... We want to diversify our economy, it is important, it is essential," Al-Ibrahim told AFP at the World Economic Forum.

Riyadh has dispatched eight top-ranking officials to the gathering of the business elite as it seeks more foreign investment and partners outside the all-important oil sector.

Soaring crude prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine allowed the kingdom to post 2022 its first budget surplus in nine years, giving it the financial firepower for economic development.

"It's never too late for sectors that are starting from scratch in Saudi Arabia. Tourism, culture, sports, and entertainment -- they are going to bring a wealth of diversification," Al-Ibrahim said.

"But we also care about other sectors like mining and industry for it to be even more competitive."

Saudi Arabia is hoping to build on the momentum from the high-profile visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Riyadh last month, where deals worth billions of dollars were signed in areas including energy and infrastructure.

"It's not advertising or showcasing, people are very interested in Saudi's growth story," the minister said, noting the kingdom's 8.5 percent expansion in GDP last year even as much of the global economy struggled.

On the heels of the football World Cup in Qatar, Saudi Arabia could be a candidate to host the competition in 2030, recently hired the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to promote the potential bid.

And at Davos on Tuesday, Saudi officials announced a joint initiative with the Davos forum organizers to accelerate high-tech innovation in the country via the virtual reality of the metaverse.

"We've opened up much more than before and that lets people see," Al-Ibrahim said.

"They see the culture, they see the values, they see the progress and they see that we are tackling a lot of challenges and issues regionally and globally."