OMM Redaksiyası
Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism industry is expected to grow by 93% between 2025 and 2030, according to information presented at the WTM Spotlight Riyadh event in Riyadh.
For years, Saudi Arabia has been known internationally mainly as a religious tourism destination. Each year, 2 million to 3 million Muslims travel to Mecca for worship.
However, under the country’s Vision 2030 plan, tourism, entertainment and leisure have become key development priorities. The shift is also reflected in the launch of new tourism and entertainment projects in Riyadh.
Dave Goodger, managing director for EMEA at Tourism Economics, said Saudi Arabia had become one of the world’s most dynamic visitor economies. Since 2019, the country has accounted for approximately 15% of global travel growth and contributed three-quarters of growth in the Middle East.
International leisure spending as a share of total tourism expenditure rose from 9% in 2019 to 28% in 2025. The figure is forecast to reach 31% by 2030. Interest in the country is expected to increase in international markets, including China.
Saeed Al-Jabri, market manager for international hotels at Hilton, said projects in the kingdom’s northern and southern regions, as well as along the Red Sea coast, had significant potential. He said regional tensions had slowed visitor growth, but their impact had been smaller than initially expected.
The expansion of tourism is creating both new opportunities and pressures for the hotel sector. According to an STR forecast, revenue per available room in Riyadh is expected to increase by 18.6% in 2027. Demand for corporate and consultancy services is expected to outpace the supply of new hotel rooms.
In Jeddah, domestic and international demand continues to support the market. The city is a summer tourism destination and also serves as a transit hub for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Meanwhile, more than 2,300 new hotel rooms are expected to open in the country in 2027.
Danielle Curtis, regional portfolio director for the UAE at RX, described the pace and scale of change in Saudi Arabia as an extremely interesting period for the travel industry. WTM Spotlight Riyadh aims to raise awareness of the market and help establish international partnerships.
Saudi Arabia’s tourism expansion forms part of Vision 2030, the kingdom’s long-term economic diversification strategy. The plan seeks to reduce reliance on oil revenues and develop sectors including tourism, hospitality and entertainment, while attracting more international visitors and investment.
