Saudi Arabia is uniting with Qatar and more Middle Eastern countries as ambitious tourism plans point to sky-high international tourist arrivals, reshaping the region’s travel future by 2030.Saudi Arabia is uniting with Qatar and more countries in a powerful Middle East tourism race. International tourist arrivals are climbing, while governments are investing heavily in destinations, hotels, aviation and experiences.
Meanwhile, ambitious 2030 targets are raising expectations across the region. Saudi Arabia stands out with a sharp rise in international leisure tourism, while Qatar is targeting six million visitors annually. Abu Dhabi is also pursuing a near-doubling of international overnight visitors by 2030. At the same time, Oman, Jordan and Bahrain are strengthening their tourism strategies. Together, these markets show how the Middle East is rapidly transforming into a major global tourism powerhouse.
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The Middle East is entering a decisive phase of tourism expansion, with governments across the region investing heavily in destinations, hotels, aviation, events and visitor infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Oman are among the markets positioning themselves for sustained growth towards 2030 and beyond.
Government tourism strategies show that the region’s ambitions extend beyond simply increasing visitor numbers. Countries are seeking to attract higher-value international travellers, diversify source markets, strengthen cultural and leisure offerings, and increase tourism’s contribution to national economies.
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While the targets differ in scale and methodology, the direction is clear: international tourism is becoming an increasingly important pillar of economic diversification across the Gulf and wider Middle East.
| Country / Destination | 2030 target or expectation | Current / baseline figure | Implied growth | Official government source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 150 million total tourists/visitors by 2030 | 123 million tourists in 2025; 30m+ international visitors | Major continued expansion | Saudi Vision 2030 / Saudi government |
| Qatar | 6 million visitors annually by 2030 | More than 5 million visitors in 2024 | At least ~20% above 2024 | Qatar Government / International Media Office |
| Abu Dhabi, UAE | 7.2 million international overnight visitors by 2030 | 3.8 million in 2023 | ~89% increase | Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism |
| UAE overall | 40 million hotel guests by 2031 | Strategy baseline not directly comparable with international arrivals | Continued international expansion | UAE Government |
| Oman | Long-term visitor target of 11–12 million by 2040, with tourism GDP contribution targeted at 5% by 2030 | Current visitor base not directly comparable | Strong long-term expansion | Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism / Foreign Ministry |
| Bahrain | New tourism strategy being developed for 2027–2031, following the 2022–26 strategy designed to increase inbound arrivals | No definitive government-published 2030 international-arrival number located | Growth expected, but no reliable 2030 number | Bahrain Government / Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority |
| Jordan | Tourism expansion remains a national priority, but the government has not published a comparable fixed 2030 international-arrival target in the sources reviewed | Around 7 million international visitors in 2025 | Strong recent growth, but no defensible 2030 percentage | Jordan Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities |
Saudi Arabia is emerging as one of the Middle East’s fastest-growing tourism markets, with international leisure tourism forecast to increase by 93% between 2025 and 2030. The forecast, from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, was presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh in September 2026.
The Kingdom has already recorded substantial growth. International travel to Saudi Arabia increased by 67% between 2019 and 2025, compared with 20% across the Middle East and 5% globally.
Saudi Arabia’s broader Vision 2030 tourism ambition is equally significant. The Saudi Kingdom has raised its target to 150 million tourists by 2030, after reaching its earlier 100-million target ahead of schedule. The country’s 2025 Vision 2030 reporting recorded 123 million tourists, including more than 30 million international visitors.
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The changing composition of demand is particularly important. International leisure tourism’s share of visitor spending increased from 9% in 2019 to 28% in 2025 and is expected to reach 31% by 2030.
Saudi Arabia is also targeting premium international demand, with Chinese luxury travellers identified as a significant opportunity. Riyadh’s hospitality market is expected to benefit as business, leisure and MICE tourism expand alongside Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia is moving into a new stage of its tourism transformation, with international leisure tourism forecast to increase by 93% between 2025 and 2030. The projection, presented at the opening of WTM Spotlight Riyadh, underlines how quickly the Kingdom is shifting from a predominantly regional travel market towards a more influential global tourism destination.
The forecast comes from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, whose latest report, Saudi Arabia: An Emerging Global Tourism Powerhouse, examines the scale and direction of the country’s tourism expansion.
The figures indicate that Saudi Arabia’s growth is already significantly ahead of wider international trends. Between 2019 and 2025, international travel to the Kingdom increased by 67%, compared with 20% across the Middle East and just 5% globally.
The next five years are expected to deliver another substantial expansion, particularly in leisure travel, as Saudi Arabia continues investing in destinations, hospitality, infrastructure, events and experiences under its Vision 2030 programme.
The latest Tourism Economics analysis provides a clear indication of the speed of Saudi Arabia’s tourism development.
International travel to the Kingdom grew by 67% between 2019 and 2025. Over the same period, international travel across the Middle East increased by 20%, while the global market recorded only 5% growth.
Tourism Economics estimates that Saudi Arabia generated approximately three-quarters of the Middle East’s international travel growth during those years. The Kingdom also increased its proportion of the global international travel market.
Dave Goodger, Managing Director, EMEA, at Tourism Economics, said Saudi Arabia has rapidly become one of the world’s most dynamic visitor economies.
According to Goodger, the Kingdom has driven around 15% of global travel growth since 2019 while accounting for approximately three-quarters of the Middle East’s expansion.
He also pointed to an important structural change: international visitors are now approaching half of all nights spent in Saudi Arabia.
That development is significant because it demonstrates that the country’s tourism story is no longer confined to regional travel. International demand is becoming a more substantial component of the wider visitor economy.
One of the most important findings in the new report concerns the changing composition of international visitor spending.
International leisure tourism accounted for only 9% of visitor spending in Saudi Arabia in 2019. By 2025, that proportion had climbed to 28%.
Tourism Economics expects leisure’s share of international visitor spending to rise further, reaching 31% by 2030.
The projected 93% increase in international leisure tourism between 2025 and 2030 therefore represents more than an increase in visitor numbers. It points towards a broader evolution in the type of international demand Saudi Arabia is attracting.
Tourists are increasingly being drawn by experiences beyond traditional business, religious and regional travel. Nature, culture, adventure, luxury hospitality and destination-based experiences are becoming increasingly relevant to the Kingdom’s international tourism proposition.
Tourism Economics forecasts international leisure travel to Saudi Arabia, measured through overnight arrivals, to grow more than three times faster than the 30% global average between 2025 and 2030.
The projected growth also exceeds the 64% forecast for the Middle East during the same period.
Saudi Arabia’s ambitions extend beyond simply increasing international visitor volumes. The Kingdom is also seeking to attract higher-value travellers, and research into the Chinese market suggests that luxury tourism could be particularly important.
Dragon Trail International, the official Research Partner for WTM Spotlight Riyadh 2026, has produced the Chinese Tourism to Saudi Arabia: Special Report 2026.
The research combines consumer and travel trade insights to assess the development of Chinese tourism to Saudi Arabia and identify segments and travel experiences with the strongest growth potential.
Saudi Arabia is already gaining visibility among Chinese travel sellers.
More than half — 52% of Chinese travel agents surveyed — said they currently sell Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, 32% identified the Kingdom as one of the destinations with the greatest future potential for Chinese tourism.
The figures suggest that Saudi Arabia has moved beyond being an unfamiliar destination for the Chinese travel trade. It is increasingly being considered within the MENA destination portfolio, creating a foundation for further growth as international travel from China continues to develop.
The Chinese luxury market stands out in Dragon Trail International’s research.
Among Chinese travel agents surveyed, 42% identified high-net-worth and luxury travellers as the segment offering the greatest potential for recovery and growth in the MENA region.
This segment is particularly relevant to Saudi Arabia because the Kingdom is rapidly expanding its premium hospitality and destination portfolio.
The country’s tourism strategy increasingly combines luxury accommodation with distinctive experiences, from natural landscapes and outdoor activities to cultural attractions and large-scale destination developments.
Chinese travellers are also showing interest in experiences that correspond closely with Saudi Arabia’s expanding offer.
Nature and scenery were identified by 54% of surveyed Chinese travel agents as particularly attractive to their customers. Adventure and outdoor activities followed at 45%.
Museums and cultural landmarks were cited by 41%, while another 41% highlighted interactions with local people. Luxury resorts were identified by 37%.
These findings point towards a broader definition of luxury travel, in which accommodation is only one part of the value proposition. Authentic experiences, cultural engagement, scenery and access to outdoor environments can all contribute to destination appeal.
The growth outlook is also reflected in Saudi Arabia’s hotel market.
Exclusive research and forecast insights provided to WTM Spotlight Riyadh by STR, the global hospitality data and benchmarking specialist, point to continued hotel demand across the Kingdom.
STR forecasts Riyadh RevPAR to increase by 18.6% in 2027.
The forecast is based partly on expectations that returning corporate and consultancy demand will outpace new hotel supply.
RevPAR, or revenue per available room, is widely used as a key hotel performance indicator because it combines room occupancy and achieved room rates. Strong RevPAR growth can therefore indicate a combination of healthy demand, pricing power and improving hotel performance.
Riyadh is expected to continue recording RevPAR growth over the following four years as the capital’s business and leisure economy expands alongside Vision 2030.
The city’s growing position as a business, events and leisure hub could consequently provide an important foundation for Saudi Arabia’s next stage of tourism development.
Jeddah presents a somewhat different hotel market dynamic.
STR’s analysis indicates that strong domestic and international demand supported the city’s hotel performance during the first half of 2026.
Jeddah benefits from several distinct demand generators. It is an established summer holiday destination and also serves as an important transit point for travellers undertaking Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
At the same time, the city is experiencing rapid hotel development.
More than 2,300 new hotel rooms are expected to open in Jeddah in 2027, making supply growth an important consideration for hotel operators and investors.
While additional rooms can support the Kingdom’s broader tourism ambitions, rapid supply expansion can also place pressure on occupancy and pricing if demand does not increase at a comparable pace.
Both Riyadh and Jeddah are nevertheless expected to benefit from stronger MICE — meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions — demand in 2027.
This provides another layer of resilience for the two major urban hospitality markets, particularly as Saudi Arabia continues developing its international business-events ecosystem.
The latest data provide evidence that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism strategy is increasingly translating into measurable market activity.
The transformation is being supported by investment in hotels, infrastructure, attractions, events and destination development, while international marketing is helping position the Kingdom for a broader range of source markets.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE at RX, said the insights presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh demonstrate that Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation is increasingly creating tangible economic and commercial opportunities.
The next challenge is not simply generating more arrivals. It is developing sustainable, high-value demand and ensuring that tourism growth reaches businesses and communities throughout the wider tourism ecosystem.
That distinction will become increasingly important as the Kingdom moves towards 2030.
Rapid visitor growth can create opportunities for airlines, hotels, tour operators, attractions, restaurants, transport providers and destination-management companies. However, long-term competitiveness will depend on how effectively Saudi Arabia converts rising international interest into repeat visitation, longer stays, higher spending and geographically distributed tourism activity.
The findings were presented as WTM Spotlight Riyadh opened on 8 September 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.
Running from 8–10 September, the inaugural event is designed to strengthen connections between Saudi Arabia and the international travel industry as the Kingdom continues its tourism transformation.
For global travel businesses, the significance of the latest forecasts extends beyond Saudi Arabia’s headline growth numbers.
A 93% projected increase in international leisure tourism between 2025 and 2030 would place considerable emphasis on the country’s ability to expand accommodation, transport, attractions, visitor services and international distribution networks at the same time as demand rises.
The Chinese market could represent one important component of that expansion, particularly within the luxury segment. Riyadh’s expected hotel performance provides another indication of the commercial opportunities emerging around the country’s tourism strategy, while Jeddah’s combination of leisure, religious and transit demand demonstrates the diversity of Saudi Arabia’s visitor economy.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation has already produced growth well above regional and global averages. The next phase could be even more consequential, with international leisure tourism forecast to rise 93% by 2030 and leisure’s share of international visitor spending expected to reach 31%.
The combination of rising international arrivals, expanding luxury demand, new hospitality supply and stronger MICE activity suggests that Saudi Arabia is building a tourism economy with increasingly diverse sources of demand.
Yet the scale of the opportunity also brings greater competition and execution requirements. The Kingdom will need to maintain service quality, develop compelling year-round experiences, manage hotel supply and ensure that international visitors can access destinations efficiently.
The latest Tourism Economics, Dragon Trail International and STR findings nevertheless point to a clear direction: Saudi Arabia is becoming an increasingly important international leisure tourism market, with Riyadh and Jeddah positioned at the centre of its next phase of growth. As Vision 2030 approaches its 2030 horizon, the country’s tourism transformation is moving from a strategy defined largely by ambition to one increasingly measured through international demand, visitor spending and commercial performance.
Qatar is pursuing an ambitious tourism expansion strategy designed to establish the country as a leading international destination for leisure, culture, sport and business travel.
The Qatar government’s tourism priorities include a target of six million visitors annually by 2030. The country recorded more than five million visitors in 2024, demonstrating that the market is already approaching its long-term target.
Qatar’s strategy is built around diversification. While Doha’s international profile has been strengthened by major sporting events and business gatherings, the country’s tourism proposition increasingly encompasses cultural attractions, museums, heritage, entertainment, shopping, hospitality and desert experiences.
The government is also seeking to use Qatar’s aviation connectivity to expand its international visitor base. Doha’s position as a major global air hub provides an important advantage for attracting long-haul travellers and encouraging stopovers.
For Qatar, the challenge is now to convert event-driven visibility into sustained year-round tourism. Increasing leisure demand, extending visitor stays and encouraging repeat travel will be important as the country works towards the 2030 target.
The six-million-visitor objective places Qatar among the Middle Eastern destinations actively planning for another significant phase of tourism growth.
The UAE already operates one of the Middle East’s most established international tourism economies, but Abu Dhabi is preparing for another major expansion.
Under its Tourism Strategy 2030, Abu Dhabi aims to increase international overnight visitors from approximately 3.8 million in 2023 to 7.2 million by 2030. That represents growth of roughly 89.5% over the period.
The emirate’s wider objective is to increase total visitors, including overnight and same-day travellers, from nearly 24 million in 2023 to 39.3 million by 2030.
The strategy also seeks to increase tourism’s economic contribution, with the emirate targeting annual tourism GDP contribution of around AED90 billion by 2030.
Abu Dhabi is developing a broader destination proposition that combines cultural tourism, luxury hospitality, nature, entertainment, major attractions, sporting events and business travel. The emirate’s museums and cultural institutions are an increasingly important component of that positioning.
At the national level, the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031 aims to attract 40 million hotel guests and increase tourism’s contribution to GDP.
For international tourism, Abu Dhabi’s specific overnight-visitor target is particularly significant because it provides a measurable indication of the emirate’s expected expansion through the end of the decade.
Oman is taking a longer-term approach to tourism development, using the sector as part of its economic diversification agenda under Oman Vision 2040.
Government tourism plans envisage a substantial increase in visitor numbers during the coming years, with official targets pointing towards approximately 11–12 million visitors by 2040. The country is also targeting tourism’s contribution to national GDP at 5% by 2030, rising further in the following decade.
Oman’s tourism proposition differs from the highly urbanised models of destinations such as Dubai, Doha and Riyadh. The Sultanate is positioning its mountains, coastline, deserts, wadis, heritage sites and traditional culture as core components of its international appeal.
The government is also investing in tourism infrastructure and improving international connectivity to support destination development.
Muscat provides the country’s principal international gateway, while destinations such as Salalah offer a distinctive seasonal proposition through the Khareef period. Coastal and adventure tourism are also important areas of opportunity.
Oman does not currently provide the same kind of fixed 2030 international-arrival percentage forecast as Saudi Arabia or Abu Dhabi. Nevertheless, its long-term visitor targets and 2030 economic objectives demonstrate a clear commitment to expanding international tourism.
Jordan remains one of the Middle East’s most established cultural tourism destinations, with Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Amman providing a diverse international tourism portfolio.
The country’s tourism sector has demonstrated strong recovery, with the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reporting approximately seven million international visitors in 2025.
The government continues to place tourism at the centre of economic development, while efforts to diversify experiences and strengthen destination marketing are aimed at increasing international demand.
Jordan’s competitive advantage lies heavily in experiential and cultural tourism. Petra remains its internationally recognised flagship attraction, but the country also offers religious tourism, archaeological sites, desert experiences, wellness travel and adventure activities.
Unlike Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Jordan has not published a sufficiently clear government-backed 2030 international-arrival target that allows a reliable percentage-growth calculation.
That distinction matters when comparing regional markets. Jordan should therefore be presented as a destination with strong tourism recovery and future expansion potential rather than assigned an unsupported 2030 growth figure.
Improved connectivity, destination investment and market diversification will determine how effectively Jordan converts its existing tourism appeal into sustained growth.
Bahrain is also seeking to strengthen its position within the competitive Gulf tourism market.
The country’s tourism strategy focuses on increasing international arrivals, developing new tourism products, expanding priority source markets and increasing the sector’s economic contribution.
Bahrain benefits from its proximity to Saudi Arabia and its established position as a regional leisure and business destination. The country combines heritage attractions, waterfront developments, hospitality, shopping, dining and events within a relatively compact destination.
The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority has been working towards a new National Tourism Strategy covering 2027–2031, following the existing strategy period. The next phase is expected to provide a framework for continued inbound tourism development and measurable performance indicators.
However, Bahrain has not yet published a definitive government-backed 2030 international visitor number comparable with Abu Dhabi’s 7.2-million overnight-visitor target or Qatar’s six-million annual visitor objective.
That makes caution essential when comparing the country with other Middle Eastern tourism markets.
Nevertheless, Bahrain’s strategic focus on inbound tourism, events, hospitality and market diversification indicates that it intends to participate actively in the region’s next tourism growth cycle.
The tourism outlook across the Middle East is increasingly defined by ambitious government strategies, major infrastructure investment and efforts to attract international visitors beyond traditional regional markets.
Saudi Arabia stands out for the scale and speed of its transformation, with international leisure tourism forecast to rise 93% between 2025 and 2030. Abu Dhabi has one of the clearest government-backed international growth targets, aiming to almost double international overnight visitors by 2030.
Qatar is working towards six million annual visitors, while Oman is pursuing a longer-term expansion model linked to Vision 2040. Jordan and Bahrain, meanwhile, continue to develop their tourism sectors but do not currently offer equally precise government-published 2030 international-arrival targets.
The differences in measurement are important. Some governments count all visitors, others focus on overnight guests, while international and domestic tourism are sometimes combined.
Even with those distinctions, the regional direction is unmistakable. Middle Eastern governments are increasingly treating tourism as a strategic economic sector, and the competition for international leisure travellers, luxury tourists, business visitors and major events is likely to intensify as the region moves towards 2030.
The cause is clear: Middle Eastern governments are using tourism to diversify their economies and reduce reliance on traditional revenue sources. As a result, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and neighbouring destinations are expanding hotels, attractions, airports, events and international connectivity.
The answer lies in sustained investment and aggressive destination development. Saudi Arabia expects international leisure tourism to surge, while Qatar is pursuing six million annual visitors by 2030. Abu Dhabi is targeting a major increase in international overnight arrivals. The reason is equally strategic: stronger international tourism can generate employment, investment, visitor spending and global visibility. Consequently, competition between regional destinations is intensifying.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and more Middle Eastern countries are entering an increasingly competitive international tourism era. Saudi Arabia’s rapid expansion demonstrates the scale of the opportunity, with international leisure tourism forecast to grow sharply towards 2030. Qatar is also building momentum around its six-million annual visitor ambition, while Abu Dhabi is targeting a substantial increase in international overnight arrivals.
Meanwhile, Oman, Jordan and Bahrain are developing their tourism sectors through new strategies, infrastructure and destination experiences. Importantly, these countries are not relying solely on traditional attractions. They are pursuing luxury travel, culture, nature, adventure, MICE tourism, major events and improved connectivity to capture international demand.
Therefore, the region’s tourism transformation could reshape global travel patterns over the remainder of the decade. As investment continues and new destinations mature, the Middle East is positioning itself for substantially higher international tourist arrivals and a much stronger role in global tourism.
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Tags: 2030 tourism, international tourist arrivals, Middle East Tourism, Middle East Travel, Qatar Tourism
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