Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism market is forecast to grow by 93% between 2025 and 2030, significantly outpacing projected growth in both the Middle East and global tourism markets, according to new research presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh.
The forecast from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, points to a rapid shift in the Kingdom’s tourism profile as Saudi Arabia moves beyond its traditional role as a predominantly religious and business travel destination and builds a broader international leisure proposition.
Tourism Economics estimates that international leisure travel to Saudi Arabia, measured by overnight arrivals, will increase 93% over the five-year period to 2030. This compares with forecast growth of 64% for the Middle East and 30% globally.
The outlook builds on a strong period of expansion. Between 2019 and 2025, international travel to Saudi Arabia increased by 67%, compared with 20% across the Middle East and 5% globally. The latest OECD data also places Saudi Arabia among the fastest-growing destinations in terms of international arrivals, with 29.3 million international tourists recorded in 2025.
According to Tourism Economics, Saudi Arabia generated approximately three-quarters of the Middle East’s international travel growth during the 2019–2025 period and increased its share of the global international travel market.
“Saudi Arabia has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic visitor economies,” said Dave Goodger, Managing Director, EMEA, Tourism Economics.
He said the Kingdom was now benefiting from sustained investment, destination development and its ambition to build a globally competitive tourism economy, with international visitors approaching half of all nights spent in the country.
Leisure tourism takes a larger share
The changing composition of Saudi Arabia’s visitor economy is particularly significant.
Tourism Economics found that leisure’s share of international visitor spending increased from just 9% in 2019 to 28% in 2025. It is forecast to reach 31% by 2030.
The figures reflect the Kingdom’s efforts under Vision 2030 to diversify its tourism offering, with major investment in destinations, hospitality, entertainment, culture, nature and events.
The Kingdom has also raised its ambition to attract 150 million domestic and international visitors annually by 2030, with tourism positioned as a key pillar of economic diversification.
Chinese luxury travellers emerge as a key opportunity
The next phase of growth could increasingly depend on attracting higher-spending international leisure travellers.
Research by Dragon Trail International identifies Chinese travellers — particularly the luxury segment — as a significant long-term opportunity for Saudi Arabia.
More than half, or 52%, of Chinese travel agents surveyed said they currently sell Saudi Arabia, while 32% identified the Kingdom as one of the destinations with the greatest future potential for Chinese tourism.
Luxury is emerging as one of the strongest opportunities. Some 42% of Chinese travel agents identified high-net-worth and luxury travellers as the segment with the greatest potential for recovery and growth in the wider Middle East and North Africa region.
The experiences that appeal to these travellers also closely match Saudi Arabia’s expanding tourism proposition.
Nature and scenery were identified by 54% of Chinese travel agents as particularly attractive, followed by adventure and outdoor activities at 45%, museums and cultural landmarks at 41%, interaction with local people at 41%, and luxury resorts at 37%.
The findings suggest that Saudi Arabia’s next stage of tourism development may be less about simply increasing visitor volumes and more about attracting high-value travellers seeking distinctive experiences.
Riyadh hotel market points to continued demand
The hospitality sector is also expected to benefit from the Kingdom’s expanding tourism economy.
STR forecasts Riyadh hotel RevPAR to increase by 18.6% in 2027, with returning corporate and consultancy demand expected to outpace new hotel supply.
RevPAR growth is forecast to continue in the following four years as Riyadh’s business and leisure economy expands in line with Vision 2030.
Jeddah, meanwhile, recorded strong domestic and international demand during the first half of 2026, supported by its position as a summer leisure destination as well as a transit point for Hajj and Umrah travel.
However, supply growth remains a consideration for the market, with more than 2,300 new hotel rooms expected to open in Jeddah in 2027.
Both Riyadh and Jeddah are also expected to benefit from stronger MICE demand next year.
From visitor growth to higher-value tourism
The latest forecasts point to a new phase in Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation.
While the Kingdom has already recorded some of the strongest international tourism growth in the world, the focus is increasingly shifting towards developing a diversified visitor economy capable of attracting leisure, luxury, business events and experiential travellers.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said the latest insights demonstrated that Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation was increasingly translating into economic and commercial opportunities.
“The next phase is about building on that momentum by attracting high-value demand and ensuring the benefits extend throughout the tourism ecosystem,” she said.
With international leisure arrivals forecast to nearly double between 2025 and 2030, Saudi Arabia is positioning the next chapter of its Vision 2030 tourism strategy around not only attracting more visitors, but capturing a larger share of global leisure spending.
