Saudi Arabia has kicked off its most ambitious cold-season campaign yet with the official launch of Saudi Winter 2025, unveiled by the Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, in Riyadh. The event, held in the presence of over 120 private sector partners, offered a sweeping preview of what’s to come under the energetic new theme, “Winter is Alive.” Stretching through the first quarter of 2026, the multi-phase programme is set to energize the Kingdom’s tourism calendar with more than 1,200 curated tourism products and over 600 special offers, covering a wide range of destinations from Riyadh, Diriyah, and Jeddah to AlUla, the Red Sea coast, and the Eastern Region.
The event also introduced the official Events Calendar, spotlighting Saudi Arabia’s winter hot spots including Al-Khobar, Qassim, Hail, and Madinah, with each destination showcasing the country’s natural, cultural, and climatic diversity. These efforts form part of the broader national tourism strategy to cement Saudi Arabia’s position as a year-round destination and key winter player. Among the biggest draws this season will be a mix of world-class festivals and events: from live concerts, poetry nights, and theatrical productions, to beachside activities, the AlUla Wellness Festival, and high-energy spectacles like the World Rally Championship and the F1H2O UIM World Championship powerboat race in Jeddah.
In a bid to draw global attention and younger audiences, the programme includes a special collaboration with YouTube megastar MrBeast, as well as the WWE Royal Rumble, part of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season.
Speaking at the launch, Al-Khateeb said: “The launch of Saudi Winter 2025 presents a new opportunity to further position Saudi Arabia as a leading global winter destination. The programme builds on the achievements of the past five years in the tourism sector, particularly the growth in visitor numbers and spending, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which targets 150 million visitors by 2030.”
