Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism industry is forecast to grow by 93 per cent between 2025 and 2030, as the kingdom expands beyond religious travel. The figures were presented during WTM Spotlight Riyadh, where industry leaders discussed the growing tourism market.
For years, Saudi Arabia was known internationally mainly for religious travel. For example, between two and three million Muslim pilgrims regularly descend on Mecca for religious worship every year.
But at the WTM Spotlight Riyadh event, the Kingdom’s tourism transformation was a recurring theme, with tourism, entertainment and leisure now forming key parts of its Vision 2030 plan.
The shift is visible in Riyadh itself, where new tourism and entertainment projects are changing the city and the experience it offers visitors.
The latest figures presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh show just how quickly the market is developing.
Dave Goodger, Managing Director, EMEA, at Tourism Economics, said Saudi Arabia has “rapidly emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic visitor economies,” driving around 15 per cent of global travel growth since 2019 and accounting for three-quarters of the Middle East’s expansion.
Leisure tourism takes a larger share
The change is also reflected in international leisure spending, whose share more than tripled, from 9 per cent in 2019 to 28 per cent in 2025, and is forecast to reach 31 per cent by 2030.
Research presented at the event also pointed to growing opportunities in international markets, including China, as Saudi Arabia seeks to attract a wider range of visitors.
The tourism expansion is not limited to Saudi Arabia’s established visitor centres.
Said Al Jabry, Market Manager of International Hotels at Hilton, highlighted the potential of destinations in the kingdom’s northern and southern regions, as well as developments along the Red Sea.
He also pointed to the impact of recent regional tensions on tourism, saying visitor growth had slowed, but the effect was less severe than initially expected.
The expansion is meanwhile creating new opportunities and pressures for the hospitality sector. STR forecasts that hotel revenue per available room, or RevPAR, in Riyadh will increase by 18.6 per cent in 2027, with corporate and consultancy demand expected to outpace new hotel supply.
Hotel performance is also expected to benefit from stronger meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) demand.
In Jeddah, domestic and international demand continues to support the market, including the city’s role as a summer destination and a transit point for Hajj and Umrah travellers.
At the same time, more than 2,300 new hotel rooms are expected to open in 2027, making supply growth another factor for the market.
The scale of Saudi Arabia’s tourism ambitions is also creating new opportunities for international businesses looking to enter or expand in the market.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director for the UAE at RX, said the pace and scale of change in Saudi Arabia made it “an incredibly exciting moment for the travel industry.”
She said WTM Spotlight Riyadh aims to help industry stakeholders deepen their understanding of the market and turn conversations into meaningful partnerships.
For Saudi Arabia, the wider ambition is to continue expanding its tourism offering under Vision 2030 and strengthen its role in the global travel market.
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