SAUDI ARABIA. Saudi Arabia welcomed 29.7 million inbound visitors in 2024, a rise of +8% year-on-year. That’s according to the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, which has just released its annual report on the market.
The inbound figure marked a +70% leap compared to pre-pandemic 2019. Domestic tourism climbed by +5% year-on-year to 86.2 million.
The latest data also revealed a +19% increase in spending by international tourists, with overseas visitors staying an average of 19 nights. This, said the Ministry, highlights Saudi’s “increasing ability to attract and retain long-haul travellers”.
A key month in the year was March, when 3.2 million visitors arrived from overseas,. This coincided with the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit, “illustrating the strong impact of major sporting events and entertainment offerings in driving international travel”.
Saudi Arabia has also climbed the global rankings in world tourism terms. It now ranks:
- #1 among G20 countries for growth in international tourist arrivals
- #2 globally in inbound tourist growth (Jan–Nov 2024 vs. the same period in 2019), according to UN Tourism.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the country’s investment in infrastructure, events and destination development are among the drivers behind the growth.
“These achievements, both domestic and international, strengthen our belief in the importance of tourism and its role as a driver of cultural and civilisational interaction, a bridge connecting peoples, and a window through which the world can discover the Kingdom’s deep-rooted history, rich cultural heritage, and authentic national identity. They also highlight the diversity of our destinations that attract both inbound and domestic tourists alike.” ✈
