Travel has never mattered more, global visitor numbers sit at record levels, and the tourism industry is scaling rapidly to meet them.

Few places tell this story more vividly than Saudi Arabia. In barely half a decade the Kingdom has moved from the edge of the global tourism map towards its centre, with visitor nights more than doubling since 2019 to 1.1 billion, giga projects opening their gates, and a calendar including Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup holding the world’s attention for a decade to come.

Saudi travellers are also travelling more than ever, making 17.4 million international trips in 2025 and lifting the Kingdom from the world’s 40th largest outbound market to its 22nd. Saudi Arabia is both a destination the world wants to visit, and a source market the world wants to win.

Tourism Economics are delighted to partner with WTM and Spotlight Riyadh in producing this report. 

Combining the latest travel data and forecasts to 2030, this report examines the trends shaping Saudi Arabia’s inbound and outbound markets, showing where the Kingdom’s visitors are coming from, and where Saudi travellers are heading next. Our aim is to enable decision-makers to anticipate change, and to act on it early.

Read the full story here