Saudi Arabia Tourism Set For Historic Leap As International Leisure Travel Growth Forecast To Soar 93% By 2030

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September 9, 2026 3:19 PM

Image: Visit Saudi

Saudi Arabia will undergo one of the largest shifts in international leisure tourism, seeing a 93% increase in international leisure tourism between 2025 and 2030, according to Tourism Economics at WTM Spotlight Riyadh. This thrust will position Saudi Arabia as one of the fastest growing tourism markets. Saudi Arabia will continue to scale its Vision 2030 strategy, expand luxury hospitality offerings, and mega destinations in order to attract new tourism segments beyond business and religious tourism. Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector will continue its shift towards leisure, cultural, adventure, and luxury travel. This cement Saudi Arabia’s position as a major emerging travel destination.

This projected 93% international leisure tourism increase for Saudi Arabia is far greater than what is expected for other key regional and global markets. The global market is estimated to see a 30% increase in international leisure tourism, while the greater Middle East expects to see a 64% increase. It is clear that Saudi Arabia is experiencing a significantly greater increase in tourism than what is expected for the global and regional markets. Saudi Arabia has experienced a rapid increase in tourism over the last few years. From 2019 to 2025, Saudi Arabia experienced a 67% increase international tourism with the head region of the Middle East seeing a 20% increase, and the global market experienced an approximate 5% increase of tourism during this same period.

Saudi Arabia Captures A Larger Share Of Global Tourism Spending Through Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia’s tourism expansion is closely linked with Vision 2030, the national economic diversification strategy designed to create new growth industries beyond oil. Tourism has become one of the central pillars of this transformation, supported by billions of dollars of investment in infrastructure, destinations, entertainment, hospitality and international connectivity. The Kingdom has already achieved several major tourism milestones. Saudi Arabia reached its previous Vision 2030 target of welcoming 100 million annual visitors in 2023, seven years earlier than originally planned. Following this achievement, the country increased its ambition and introduced a new target of 150 million annual visitors by 2030.

The revised goal includes:

Recent tourism performance demonstrates the scale of expansion. In 2025, Saudi Arabia recorded approximately 122–123 million total visits, including more than 29 million international travellers and over 93 million domestic trips. Tourism expenditure also crossed SAR 300 billion, reflecting increasing visitor spending from leisure, business, cultural and luxury travellers. The economic contribution of tourism has also increased significantly. The sector’s share of Saudi Arabia’s GDP has grown beyond 7%, moving closer towards the national ambition of reaching 10% or more by 2030.

One of the most important changes has been the rise of international leisure spending. In 2019, Saudi Arabia represented around 9% of international leisure visitor spending in the Middle East. By 2025, that share increased to 28% and is expected to reach 31% by 2030. This shift highlights a major change in the structure of Saudi tourism. The Kingdom is no longer relying only on religious travel and business visits. Leisure tourism is becoming a powerful new growth engine.

From Pilgrimage Destination To Global Leisure And Luxury Travel Market

For decades, Saudi Arabia’s international tourism industry was primarily driven by religious travel connected to Hajj and Umrah. Religious tourism remains a major foundation, with continued investment to improve visitor capacity and services. However, the country’s tourism strategy has expanded significantly to attract holidaymakers, adventure travellers, culture seekers and luxury visitors.

The current visitor mix is becoming increasingly diversified:

The fastest-growing segment is leisure travel, supported by new destinations and experiences that were previously unavailable to international visitors. Saudi Arabia has introduced easier visa access through tourist e-visa programmes, expanded eligibility for international markets and improved travel connectivity. These measures have helped increase awareness among global travellers and encouraged more visitors to explore the Kingdom.

Red Sea, AlUla And Diriyah Become Engines Of Saudi Tourism Growth

The forecast 93% leisure tourism expansion is strongly connected to the development of Saudi Arabia’s major tourism destinations. The Red Sea region is emerging as a flagship luxury and sustainable tourism destination. The area features high-end resorts, marine experiences, environmental tourism and exclusive island destinations. The opening of Red Sea International Airport has created a dedicated gateway for domestic and international travellers visiting the region.

Luxury hospitality developments are helping Saudi Arabia compete with established premium destinations in the Middle East. Resorts focused on nature, wellness and privacy are attracting travellers seeking unique experiences. AlUla has become another major international tourism attraction. Known for ancient heritage sites, dramatic landscapes and Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla is positioning itself as a global centre for cultural and heritage tourism.

The destination combines archaeology, nature, adventure and luxury hospitality, creating a new travel category for visitors interested in authentic experiences. Diriyah and Riyadh are also playing a critical role in tourism expansion. Diriyah’s historical districts, cultural attractions, hotels and dining developments are strengthening Riyadh’s position as a major international city-break and cultural destination. Riyadh is also preparing for major global events, including Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which are expected to generate additional international visitor demand and accelerate tourism infrastructure development.

China Emerges As A Key Market For Saudi Arabia’s Next Tourism Phase

Saudi Arabia is increasingly focusing on Asia as a major source of future visitors, with China identified as one of the most important growth opportunities. Research from Dragon Trail International shows strong interest among Chinese travel professionals. Around 52% of surveyed Chinese travel agents already sell Saudi Arabia travel packages, while 32% believe the Kingdom has significant future growth potential. Luxury travel represents a particularly important opportunity. Around 42% of Chinese travel agents identified high-net-worth and luxury travellers as the most valuable tourism segment in the Middle East.

Chinese visitors are attracted by several experiences available across Saudi Arabia:

These preferences closely match Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism offer, particularly in destinations such as AlUla, the Red Sea and cultural districts across the Kingdom.

Riyadh And Jeddah Prepare For Strong Hotel Demand And MICE Growth

Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is expanding rapidly to meet rising visitor demand. Riyadh is expected to remain one of the strongest hotel markets due to corporate travel, international investment, conferences and government-related demand. According to STR forecasts, Riyadh’s revenue per available room (RevPAR) is expected to increase by 18.6% in 2027. Growth is being supported by strong business demand, with visitor numbers expected to rise faster than new hotel supply.

Jeddah is also expected to benefit from continued domestic and international tourism growth. However, the city will experience increased competition as more than 2,300 new hotel rooms are scheduled to enter the market in 2027. Both cities are expected to see stronger demand from the MICE sector, including meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. International events, business forums and large-scale gatherings are becoming increasingly important contributors to Saudi tourism growth.

Connectivity And Aviation Expansion Strengthen Saudi Arabia’s Global Ambitions

Another major factor to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism strategy is better connectivity. The country is focused on adding to its airport network and airline capacity.saudi Arabiais building up its aviation capacity through the newly formed Riyadh Air and the other existing carriers. The country is supporting its goal of becoming a prominent international air travel hub by connecting more international destinations to Saudi destinations.

Earlier growth in the sector was faster as compared to growth in tourism. However, new growth will depend on balancing both. Further growth may come with the addition of more hotels in the mid-range and higher segments and the creation of offerings for different travel segments. Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is now in an advanced developmental stage. Rapid growth in international travel to the Kingdom, the beginning of new tourism projects, an increase in international markets dedicated to leisure travel, and significant growth in the number of visitors is making the Kingdom one of the most important travel markets in the world for the next ten years.