Imagine a nation where ancient history and futuristic ambitions collide, witnessing a breathtaking 53.8% surge in international visitors as Saudi Arabia welcomed a record 27.4 million global travelers in 2023, fueled by booming religious pilgrimages, a thriving leisure sector, and unprecedented infrastructure investment toward an ambitious goal of 150 million tourists by 2030.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia recorded 27.4 million international tourists, marking a 53.8% increase from 2022
- Saudi Arabia welcomed 100 million total visitors in 2023, including 72.6 million domestic tourists
- Umrah pilgrims reached 13.5 million in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 30%
- Tourism revenue reached SAR 153 billion in 2023, up 42.8% from 2022
- Tourism contributed 4.5% to Saudi GDP in 2023, generating SAR 190 billion
- Hotel revenues increased by 49% to SAR 40 billion in 2023
- Saudi Arabia had 240,000 hotel rooms in 2023, with 70% occupancy
- 321 new hotels with 53,000 rooms opened in 2023
- Riyadh hotel occupancy averaged 72% in 2023
- Luxury 5-star hotels saw 85% occupancy during Hajj 2023
- Al-Rajhi Grand Mosque in Riyadh attracted 5 million visitors in 2023
- The National Museum in Riyadh saw 2.8 million visitors in 2023, up 25%
- AlUla's Winter at Tantora festival drew 120,000 attendees in 2023
- Tourism infrastructure investments totaled SAR 1 trillion by 2023 under Vision 2030
- 30 new airports planned, with 10 operational by 2023 expanding capacity to 330 million passengers
Saudi Arabia's tourism is rapidly expanding, achieving massive growth in visitors and revenue in 2023.
Demographics and Sustainability
- 62% of tourists were aged 25-44 in 2023
- 55% of inbound tourists were male, 45% female in 2023
- GCC nationals comprised 55% of tourists, Europeans 13%, Asians 18% in 2023
- 40% of tourists visited for leisure, 25% religious, 20% business in 2023
- Average tourist age 32 years, with millennials dominant at 45%
- 35% of tourists traveled with family, 30% couples, 25% solo in 2023
- Muslim tourists 70% of total inbound in 2023
- Female solo travelers up 50% to 15% of total in 2023
- Top source markets: UAE 20%, UK 8%, India 7%, Russia 6% in 2023
- 60% of tourists used digital booking platforms in 2023
- Sustainability concern rated high by 75% of European tourists in 2023 surveys
- 80% of domestic tourists preferred eco-friendly sites in 2023
- Repeat visitors 25% of total inbound in 2023
- Social media influenced 65% of young tourists' decisions in 2023
- Halal tourism demand 90% among Muslim visitors
- Adventure tourism popular with 20% under-30 demographics
- Cultural heritage seekers 35% of total tourists in 2023
- Wellness tourism grew 30% among 35-50 age group
- 50% tourists sought authentic local experiences in 2023
Demographics and Sustainability Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s tourism portrait reveals a kingdom confidently juggling its profound religious heritage with a millennial-driven future, where young, digitally-booking regional neighbors and growing solo female travelers seek both pilgrimage and authentic adventure, all while eyeing sustainability.
Hotel and Accommodation
- Saudi Arabia had 240,000 hotel rooms in 2023, with 70% occupancy
- 321 new hotels with 53,000 rooms opened in 2023
- Riyadh hotel occupancy averaged 72% in 2023
- Average daily room rate (ADR) in Saudi hotels rose 18% to SAR 650 in 2023
- Short-term rentals (Airbnb) grew 40% with 50,000 listings in 2023
- Makkah had 45,000 hotel rooms, 90% occupied during Umrah peaks
- Jeddah hotel RevPAR increased 25% to SAR 550 in 2023
- 150,000 new hotel rooms planned by 2030
- Budget hotels (3-star) occupancy 65%, up 10% in 2023
- Female travelers preferred hotels with 4.2 average rating in 2023 surveys
- Saudi hotels achieved 4.5/5 guest satisfaction score in 2023
- AlUla resort openings added 2,000 luxury rooms in 2023
- Diriyah Gate development includes 10 new hotels by 2025
- Red Sea Project to add 50 hotels with 10,000 rooms by 2030
- NEOM will feature 15 hotels with 8,000 keys
- Qiddiya to have 25 hotels and 80,000 rooms planned
- Hotel employment reached 400,000 jobs in 2023
Hotel and Accommodation Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is furiously building the hotels of tomorrow while already navigating today’s surge in demand, a balancing act made clear by rising rates, packed religious hubs, and a workforce racing to keep up.
Hotel and Riyadh
- Luxury 5-star hotels saw 85% occupancy during Hajj 2023
Hotel and Riyadh Interpretation
The pilgrimage draws a crowd so committed to spiritual elevation that even their hotels, it seems, are operating at near-biblical occupancy.
Inbound Tourists
- In 2023, Saudi Arabia recorded 27.4 million international tourists, marking a 53.8% increase from 2022
- Saudi Arabia welcomed 100 million total visitors in 2023, including 72.6 million domestic tourists
- Umrah pilgrims reached 13.5 million in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 30%
- In the first half of 2024, Saudi Arabia saw 23.4 million inbound tourists, up 12% year-on-year
- Riyadh welcomed 18 million tourists in 2023, a 20% rise from 2022
- Makkah received over 20 million visitors in 2023, primarily religious tourists
- Tourism from GCC countries to Saudi Arabia grew by 25% in 2023 to 15 million visitors
- European tourists to Saudi Arabia increased by 72% in 2023 to 1.2 million
- Chinese tourists numbered 123,000 in 2023, up 211% from 2022
- Indian tourists to Saudi Arabia reached 1.2 million in 2023, a 44% increase
- In Q1 2024, Saudi Arabia had 8.6 million hotel guests, up 19.5% YoY
- Leisure tourism accounted for 62% of inbound visits in 2023 at 17 million tourists
- Business tourists numbered 4.5 million in 2023, up 15%
- Saudi Arabia aims for 150 million tourists by 2030
- In 2022, total tourists were 17.5 million international
- Nightly stays by tourists averaged 3.2 nights in 2023
- 70% of inbound tourists in 2023 arrived by air
- Visa issuances for tourism reached 2.5 million e-visas in 2023
- Occupancy rates in hotels hit 70% during peak 2023 seasons
- Saudi tourism arrivals grew 156% from 2019 to 2023
Inbound Tourists Interpretation
Saudi Arabia's tourism sector is no longer just whispering about potential; with a 156% surge since 2019, it's now shouting from the minarets, beaches, and boardrooms that the world is answering its ambitious call.
Infrastructure and Investments
- Tourism infrastructure investments totaled SAR 1 trillion by 2023 under Vision 2030
- 30 new airports planned, with 10 operational by 2023 expanding capacity to 330 million passengers
- High-speed rail network expansion to 9,900 km by 2030, SAR 68 billion invested
- Riyadh Metro Phase 1 completed 2023 with 6 lines, 176 km
- Red Sea Global invested SAR 25 billion in 50 hotels by 2030
- NEOM's The Line project includes tourism zones worth SAR 500 billion
- Qiddiya entertainment city SAR 80 billion investment
- 1,200 km coastal development in Amaala, SAR 40 billion
- Digital visa platform issued 5 million visas in 2023
- 28,000 km new road networks for tourism by 2030
- Airport passenger traffic hit 100 million in 2023, up 20%
- SAR 15 billion for heritage site restorations in 2023
- Cruise port developments in 5 cities, handling 1 million passengers by 2023
- Sustainable tourism projects funded SAR 10 billion in 2023
- AlUla masterplan SAR 12.6 billion for infrastructure
- Diriyah master development SAR 50 billion
- 500 new tourism clusters developed by 2023
- Green hydrogen-powered tourism transport pilots in 2023
- Smart city integrations in 10 tourism destinations by 2023
- SAR 6 billion for event venues like Riyadh Exhibition Center
Infrastructure and Investments Interpretation
Saudi Arabia isn't just opening its doors to tourists; it's building a brand new country from the ground up and politely asking the world to come and see it.
Key Attractions
- Al-Rajhi Grand Mosque in Riyadh attracted 5 million visitors in 2023
- The National Museum in Riyadh saw 2.8 million visitors in 2023, up 25%
- AlUla's Winter at Tantora festival drew 120,000 attendees in 2023
- Riyadh Season events attracted 20 million visitors in 2023
- Diriyah's At-Turaif UNESCO site had 1.5 million tourists in 2023
- Edge of the World in Riyadh region visited by 800,000 in 2023
- Al Kharrarah Barchan in AlUla welcomed 500,000 adventure tourists
- Masmak Fortress received 1.2 million visitors annually average 2023
- Kingdom Centre Tower observation deck had 3 million visits in 2023
- Red Sea diving sites attracted 200,000 divers in 2023
- Hajj pilgrimage peaked at 2.5 million pilgrims in 2023
- Souq Al-Zal in Riyadh saw 4 million shoppers-tourists in 2023
- Al-Faisaliyah Tower sky bridge visited by 1.8 million
- Historic Qatif Castle drew 900,000 cultural tourists in 2023
- Riyadh Zoo attracted 2.5 million families in 2023
- Boulevard World Riyadh had 15 million entertainment visits
- AlUla Hegra UNESCO site 750,000 visitors in 2023
- Saudi Aramco Museum in Dhahran 400,000 visitors
- Abha Dam Lake recreational area 1.1 million picnickers
- The Bent Palm in Al Khobar beach visited by 2 million
- Quba Mosque in Madinah 10 million religious tourists annually
Key Attractions Interpretation
It appears Saudi Arabia is skillfully juggling everything from timeless pilgrimage sites to futuristic entertainment hubs, proving it can attract a staggering number of tourists while simultaneously building a kingdom-wide monument to the holy trinity of faith, culture, and fun.
Tourism Revenue
- Tourism revenue reached SAR 153 billion in 2023, up 42.8% from 2022
- Tourism contributed 4.5% to Saudi GDP in 2023, generating SAR 190 billion
- Hotel revenues increased by 49% to SAR 40 billion in 2023
- Leisure tourism revenue was SAR 110 billion in 2023
- Umrah-related spending hit SAR 45 billion in 2023
- Domestic tourism spending reached SAR 90 billion in 2023
- International tourism receipts grew 76.6% to SAR 65 billion in 2023
- Riyadh tourism revenue was SAR 35 billion in 2023
- Employment in tourism sector reached 1.2 million jobs in 2023, contributing SAR 120 billion in wages
- Tax revenue from tourism estimated at SAR 20 billion in 2023
- Average spend per international tourist was SAR 5,600 in 2023
- Tourism exports (receipts) per capita rose to SAR 1,950 in 2023
- Projected tourism GDP contribution to reach 10% by 2030, SAR 500 billion
- In H1 2024, tourism revenue up 13.8% to SAR 90 billion
- Religious tourism revenue SAR 110 billion in 2023
- E-commerce tourism sales grew 30% to SAR 15 billion in 2023
- Investment in tourism projects reached SAR 800 billion by 2023
Tourism Revenue Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is no longer just a well-funded guest room in its economy; it has built a sprawling, high-occupancy penthouse suite, complete with a booming domestic wing, a spiritually-significant revenue stream, and an ambitious international expansion plan aiming to check in as a top-tier economic contributor by 2030.
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