Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism set to grow 93% by 2030
Saudi Arabia’s international leisure
tourism is forecast to grow by 93% between 2025 and 2030, outpacing growth
across the Middle East and globally, according to a new Tourism Economics report,
Saudi Arabia: An Emerging Global Tourism Powerhouse, presented today at WTM
Spotlight Riyadh.
Forecast Highlights
- International leisure tourism to Saudi Arabia is projected to grow 93% between 2025–2030.
- This growth is 3x faster than the global average (30%) and ahead of the Middle East (64%).
- Between 2019–2025, Saudi Arabia’s international travel grew 67%, compared with 20% in the Middle East and 5% globally.
- Saudi Arabia accounted for three-quarters of the Middle East’s expansion and ~15% of global travel growth since 2019.
Visitor Spending & Market Share
- Share of international leisure visitor spending rose from 9% in 2019 → 28% in 2025, expected to reach 31% by 2030.
- International visitors now account for nearly half of all nights spent in the Kingdom.
Chinese Tourism Insights (Dragon Trail International)
- 52% of Chinese travel agents already sell Saudi Arabia.
- 32% see Saudi Arabia as a top future destination in MENA.
Strongest growth potential:
- Luxury/high-net-worth travelers (42%)
- Nature & scenery (54%)
- Adventure/outdoor activities (45%)
- Museums & cultural landmarks (41%)
- Local interactions (41%)
- Luxury resorts (37%)
Hospitality Sector Outlook (STR)
- Riyadh RevPAR forecast to grow 18.6% in 2027, driven by corporate demand outpacing new supply.
- Growth expected to continue through 2031 as Riyadh expands its leisure & business economy.
- Jeddah: Strong demand from summer tourism + Hajj/Umrah transit.
- But supply pressure: 2,300+ new rooms opening in 2027.
- Both Riyadh & Jeddah expected to benefit from stronger MICE demand.
Big Picture
Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global tourism powerhouse, not just a regional player. The combination of rapid visitor growth, luxury demand from China, and strong hospitality performance forecasts shows how Vision 2030 is translating into tangible commercial opportunities.
