Saudi Arabia has emerged as the world’s fastest-growing tourism destination, marking a significant shift in the global travel landscape.
According to the 2025 Global Tourism Barometer report, the Kingdom topped all nations in the rate of growth of international tourism revenue compared to 2019, jumping to 12th place globally in total international tourism receipts.
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The figures reveal an exceptional 5% growth compared to 2024, with a total of 116 million visitors last year, including 29.7 million international arrivals and 86.2 million domestic tourists. Officials project that international tourist numbers will rise to 30 million – an 8.4% increase – while domestic tourism is expected to reach 92 million visitors.
Infrastructure and Workforce Expansion
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The hospitality sector has experienced a surge, with facilities increasing by 40.6% in just one year, reaching a total of 5,622 licensed establishments. This includes 2,667 hotels (47.4%) and 2,955 serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities (52.6%).
- Hotel occupancy rate: 49.1% (+2.9 percentage points)
- Serviced apartment occupancy rate: 57.4%
- Average length of stay: 4.1 nights in hotels
The number of people employed in the tourism sector also jumped by 6.4% to 19,691, with Saudi nationals representing 245,171 (24.3%) and non-Saudis accounting for 764,520 workers (75.7%).
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Diversification of Tourist Origins and Purposes
Egypt led the list of nationalities visiting the Kingdom with 3.2 million tourists, followed by Pakistan with 2.8 million visitors. Visiting friends and relatives accounted for 20% of the overall purpose of visits by international tourists.
Ambitious Future Vision
Saudi Arabia is currently developing groundbreaking future projects, including the NEOM city’s The Line, a multi-layered vertical smart city designed to provide all services within a five-minute reach and operate entirely on renewable energy.
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This significant development positions Saudi Arabia as an integrated tourism platform combining a rich history, exciting entertainment, and natural beauty, with a forward-looking vision redefining the future of tourism globally.
