From being a desert kingdom defined by oil to becoming a global hospitality powerhouse, Saudi Arabia's transformation is backed by numbers as staggering as its ambition, with the sector exploding to SAR 120 billion in 2023 and set to reach SAR 165 billion by 2028.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Saudi hospitality market size reached approximately SAR 120 billion, reflecting a 15% year-on-year growth driven by Vision 2030 initiatives
- The hospitality sector in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a market volume of SAR 165 billion by 2028
- Tourism and hospitality contributed 4.5% to Saudi Arabia's GDP in 2022, amounting to SAR 100 billion, with projections to reach 10% by 2030
- In 2023, Riyadh had 45,000 hotel rooms, making it the largest market in Saudi Arabia
- Makkah's hotel room supply reached 55,000 in 2023, with 90% occupancy during Hajj
- Jeddah's luxury hotels averaged SAR 1,200 ADR in 2023
- Saudi Arabia inbound tourists reached 27.4 million in 2022, projected to 30 million in 2023
- Domestic tourism trips totaled 74 million in 2023, generating SAR 150 billion in spending
- Hajj pilgrims numbered 2.4 million in 2023, boosting hospitality demand by 30%
- Saudi hospitality sector employed 450,000 people directly in 2023, up 20% from 2022
- Hospitality workforce Saudization rate reached 45% in 2023, targeting 70% by 2030
- Total jobs supported by tourism and hospitality: 1.7 million in 2023
- Hospitality sector generated SAR 45 billion in revenue in 2023, up 25% YoY
- Hotel revenue in Makkah alone was SAR 35 billion during 2023 Hajj season
- Total TRevPAR (Total Revenue per Available Room) reached SAR 500 in 2023
Vision 2030 is fueling rapid growth and investment in Saudi Arabia's booming hospitality sector.
Employment
- Saudi hospitality sector employed 450,000 people directly in 2023, up 20% from 2022
- Hospitality workforce Saudization rate reached 45% in 2023, targeting 70% by 2030
- Total jobs supported by tourism and hospitality: 1.7 million in 2023
- Female employment in hotels increased to 25% of workforce (112,500 women) in 2023
- Average salary in Saudi hospitality sector was SAR 8,500 per month in 2023
- 50,000 new jobs created in hospitality through Vision 2030 giga-projects in 2023
- Hotel management roles filled by Saudis: 60% in 2023, up from 40%
- Youth employment (18-30) in hospitality reached 35% of total workforce in 2023
- Training programs graduated 30,000 hospitality workers in 2023 via TVTC
- Turnover rate in Saudi hotels dropped to 18% in 2023 from 25% in 2022
- Part-time jobs in hospitality: 100,000 positions in 2023
- Expat workforce in hospitality: 55% or 247,500 in 2023
- Hospitality job vacancies filled Saudis: 75% in 2023 Nitaqat program
- Chefs and kitchen staff: 80,000 employed, 40% Saudized in 2023
- Front office staff Saudization: 50% in 2023
- Housekeeping workforce: 120,000, with 30% female Saudis in 2023
- Revenue management specialists jobs grew 50% to 5,000 in 2023
- Sustainability roles in hotels: 2,000 positions created in 2023
- Digital marketing staff in hospitality: 10,000 employed in 2023
- Hajj/Umrah seasonal jobs: 100,000 created annually, peaking in 2023
- Hotel GM positions: 2,200 filled, 65% Saudis in 2023
- Apprenticeships in hospitality: 15,000 enrolled in 2023
- Labor productivity in hospitality rose 12% to SAR 250,000 per worker in 2023
Employment Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is not just opening hotels, but opening careers at a remarkable clip, with surging Saudization, rising wages, and a welcome mat laid out for women and youth, all while somehow making the grueling work of tourism look increasingly sustainable and professional.
Financial Performance
- Hospitality sector generated SAR 45 billion in revenue in 2023, up 25% YoY
- Hotel revenue in Makkah alone was SAR 35 billion during 2023 Hajj season
- Total TRevPAR (Total Revenue per Available Room) reached SAR 500 in 2023
- F&B revenue in Saudi hotels grew 30% to SAR 15 billion in 2023
- Ancillary revenue share in hotels increased to 35% of total in 2023
- EBITDA margins for Saudi hotels averaged 32% in 2023
- Investment transactions in hospitality totaled SAR 20 billion in 2023
- IPOs in hospitality: Two major hotel firms raised SAR 5 billion in 2023
- Tax revenue from hospitality VAT: SAR 10 billion collected in 2023
- Profitability of luxury hotels: 28% net margin average in 2023
- Midscale hotel GOPPAR (Gross Operating Profit per Available Room) at SAR 300 in 2023
- Cost per occupied room rose 10% to SAR 200 in 2023 due to labor costs
- Yield on hotel assets averaged 8.5% in 2023
- Online booking commissions cost hotels SAR 3 billion in 2023
- Direct booking revenue share: 55% in 2023, up from 40%
- Pilgrimage-related revenue: SAR 60 billion total for hospitality in 2023
- Event and MICE revenue: SAR 8 billion from 5,000 events in 2023
- Spa and wellness revenue in hotels: SAR 2.5 billion in 2023
- Capital expenditure on hotels: SAR 40 billion invested in 2023
- Debt financing for hospitality projects: SAR 50 billion in 2023 loans
Financial Performance Interpretation
Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector isn’t just hosting guests anymore; it’s hosting a full-blown economic boom, where every pilgrim, tourist, and business delegate is pouring billions into a future being built at a staggering pace.
Hotel Sector
- In 2023, Riyadh had 45,000 hotel rooms, making it the largest market in Saudi Arabia
- Makkah's hotel room supply reached 55,000 in 2023, with 90% occupancy during Hajj
- Jeddah's luxury hotels averaged SAR 1,200 ADR in 2023
- Saudi Arabia added 15,000 new hotel rooms in 2023, primarily in 4- and 5-star categories
- The number of 5-star hotels in Saudi Arabia increased to 250 in 2023 from 200 in 2022
- 4-star hotels accounted for 35% of total room inventory at 60,000 rooms in 2023
- Medina's hotel occupancy averaged 78% in 2023, with 30,000 rooms available
- Over 100 international hotel brands operate in Saudi Arabia as of 2024, managing 70% of branded rooms
- The Red Sea Project will feature 50 hotels with 8,000 keys by 2024
- Diriyah Gate development includes 40 hospitality venues with 10,000 rooms planned by 2030
- Qiddiya entertainment city hotel pipeline includes 20,000 rooms across 15 hotels
- AlUla's luxury resorts saw 95% occupancy in peak season 2023, with 5,000 rooms
- NEOM's hospitality phase one targets 2,500 rooms by 2025
- Saudi Arabia's serviced apartments grew to 20,000 units in 2023, up 25%
- Resort hotels in Saudi coastal areas increased by 18% to 15,000 rooms in 2023
- Business hotels in Riyadh achieved 70% occupancy and SAR 550 ADR in 2023
- Pilgrimage hotels in Makkah generated SAR 40 billion in revenue in 2023
- The average size of new hotels in Saudi Arabia is 300 rooms, with construction costs at SAR 5,000 per sqm
- Female occupancy in Saudi hotels reached 40% in 2023, driven by Saudization efforts
- Boutique hotels numbered 150 in Saudi Arabia in 2023, concentrated in urban areas
- Aparthotels supply hit 10,000 units in major cities by 2023
- Timeshare resorts in Saudi Arabia have 5,000 units operational in 2023
- Eco-hotels certified in Saudi Arabia reached 50 properties in 2023
Hotel Sector Interpretation
The kingdom's ambitions are clear: with a luxury hotel pipeline stretching from the gleaming towers of Riyadh and the holy sites of Makkah to the futuristic sands of NEOM, Saudi Arabia is building not just a diverse portfolio of rooms but a whole new global destination, and the numbers show the world is starting to check in.
Market Overview
- In 2023, the Saudi hospitality market size reached approximately SAR 120 billion, reflecting a 15% year-on-year growth driven by Vision 2030 initiatives
- The hospitality sector in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a market volume of SAR 165 billion by 2028
- Tourism and hospitality contributed 4.5% to Saudi Arabia's GDP in 2022, amounting to SAR 100 billion, with projections to reach 10% by 2030
- The total number of hotel rooms in Saudi Arabia increased by 12% in 2023 to over 170,000 rooms, supported by new developments in Riyadh and Jeddah
- Saudi Arabia's hospitality industry attracted SAR 25 billion in foreign direct investment in 2023, primarily in luxury and mid-scale hotels
- The average daily rate (ADR) for hotels in Saudi Arabia rose 18% in 2023 to SAR 650, fueled by increased demand from pilgrims and tourists
- Occupancy rates in Saudi hotels averaged 65% in 2023, up from 55% in 2022, with peak seasons exceeding 85%
- Revenue per available room (RevPAR) in the Saudi hospitality sector reached SAR 422 in 2023, a 25% increase year-over-year
- The hospitality market in the Red Sea region is expected to add 20,000 hotel rooms by 2030, boosting overall capacity by 15%
- Saudi Arabia ranked 12th globally in hospitality investment attractiveness in 2023, with SAR 30 billion invested
- In 2023, the Makkah and Madinah hotel market saw a 20% increase in room supply to 85,000 rooms
- The overall hospitality sector employment multiplier effect contributed to 1.2 million indirect jobs in Saudi Arabia in 2022
- Saudi Arabia's hospitality industry digital booking penetration reached 45% in 2023, up from 30% in 2021
- The luxury segment accounted for 25% of the Saudi hotel market revenue in 2023, generating SAR 30 billion
- Midscale hotels in Saudi Arabia grew by 10% in room count to 60,000 rooms in 2023
- The hospitality sector's contribution to non-oil GDP was 7% in 2023
- Saudi Arabia plans to develop 320,000 new hotel rooms by 2030 under Vision 2030
- In Q4 2023, Riyadh's hotel market ADR hit SAR 800, a record high
- The Saudi hospitality market saw a 22% increase in international chain hotel signings in 2023, totaling 50 new projects
- Total hospitality assets under management in Saudi Arabia exceeded SAR 200 billion in 2023
- Saudi Arabia's hotel pipeline stands at 150,000 rooms as of 2024, with 40% under construction
- The Jeddah hotel market occupancy reached 72% in 2023, driven by entertainment events
- Hospitality sector's carbon footprint reduction target is 30% by 2030 through green initiatives
- Saudi Arabia hosted 100 million tourists in 2023, with hospitality playing a key role
- The sector's tech investment in AI and automation reached SAR 5 billion in 2023
- Budget hotels grew 15% in supply to 40,000 rooms in 2023
- Upscale hotels generated SAR 50 billion in revenue in 2023
- The hospitality market's share of FDI inflows was 8% in 2023
- Saudi Arabia's hospitality RevPAR growth was the highest in MENA at 28% in 2023
- Total hotel establishments in Saudi Arabia numbered 2,200 in 2023, up 8%
Market Overview Interpretation
Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector is no longer just rolling out the welcome mat, but building a whole new wing to the economy, with check-in counters now ringing up billions in growth, record occupancy rates, and an ambitious blueprint that proves Vision 2030 is checking all the right boxes.
Tourism Arrivals
- Saudi Arabia inbound tourists reached 27.4 million in 2022, projected to 30 million in 2023
- Domestic tourism trips totaled 74 million in 2023, generating SAR 150 billion in spending
- Hajj pilgrims numbered 2.4 million in 2023, boosting hospitality demand by 30%
- Umrah visas issued reached 13.5 million in 2023, up from 9 million in 2022
- International leisure tourists to Saudi Arabia grew 156% in 2023 to 18 million
- GCC visitors accounted for 40% of inbound tourism at 11 million in 2023
- European tourists to Saudi increased by 200% to 1.5 million in 2023
- Chinese tourists numbered 150,000 in 2023, with target of 1 million by 2025
- US visitors to Saudi Arabia hit 800,000 in 2023, up 120%
- Indian tourists reached 1.2 million in 2023, driven by direct flights
- Russian tourists grew to 500,000 in 2023, post-visa waiver
- UK arrivals increased 150% to 700,000 in 2023
- Total overnight stays by tourists reached 200 million nights in 2023
- Riyadh received 15 million visitors in 2023, 60% domestic
- Asir region saw 12 million tourists in 2023, up 25%
- AlUla attracted 1 million visitors in 2023, 70% international
- Red Sea destinations hosted 800,000 tourists in 2023 launch year
- NEOM pilot tourism drew 100,000 visitors in 2023
- Festival attendance across Saudi events totaled 35 million in 2023
- Medical tourists numbered 2 million in 2023, spending SAR 20 billion
- Adventure tourism participants reached 5 million in 2023
- Cultural heritage sites visited by 25 million tourists in 2023
- Beach tourism grew to 10 million visitors in 2023
Tourism Arrivals Interpretation
While Saudi Arabia has long hosted the world's pilgrims, it now seems the world is staying for the after-party, booking 200 million nights to explore everything from ancient tombs and mountain trails to brand-new futuristic cities.
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