The forces driving Saudi Arabia’s next tourism chapter 

Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s tourism sector has expanded rapidly. Initially targeting 100 million annual visitors and a 10% contribution to GDP by 2030, Saudi Arabia surpassed its visitor target years ahead of schedule.

The sector maintained strong momentum through 2025 and early 2026, welcoming 122.6 million visitors in 2025, including 29.3 million international arrivals and 93.3 million domestic tourists. Total visitor spending exceeded $79 billion.

SAUDI’S TOURISM STEADY INCLINE

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director, UAE, at RX Global, says investment and demand are driving Saudi Arabia’s tourism momentum.

“Greater connectivity, an expanding hospitality sector, and a more diverse mix of cultural, entertainment, and experiential offerings are strengthening demand,” Curtis states. “Crucially, Saudi Arabia is developing an integrated visitor ecosystem rather than relying on infrastructure alone.”

WTTC’s research frames the Kingdom’s tourism recovery as a “decision” rather than a matter of luck, with Curtis highlighting the importance of sustained investment and collaboration.

“The key decision is to keep building for the long term. WTTC’s research shows recovery is strongest when destinations combine leadership, investment and collaboration rather than retreat during uncertainty,” she says.

CONNECTIVITY AND TECH

Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of that visitor ecosystem, particularly as AI begins to influence how travelers search, plan and book trips. 

Faisal Alrajhi, Co-Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Saudi travel technology company almatar, says the industry is currently around halfway between AI-powered recommendations and fully autonomous travel booking.

“AI is already powerful at discovery, recommendations and itinerary building, but trust is still lagging behind the technology,” Alrajhi says. “The future is not about replacing travel companies with AI; it is about putting AI on top of trusted travel infrastructure that provides confidence, accountability and a reliable experience.”

Alrajhi says greater AI autonomy will also require clearer accountability when transactions go wrong.

“If an agent books, takes payment and manages changes, there must be a clearly accountable party behind the transaction,” he says. “Greater AI autonomy must come with greater clarity over who is responsible.”

Alrajhi expects AI to become involved in a large share of travel bookings before 2030, although he cautions against treating specific forecasts as definitive.

“I’d treat it as a direction, not a forecast,” he says. “What I’d watch instead is repeat behavior: does somebody who let an agent book once come back and do it again? That’s the signal that trust has actually moved.”

WTM SPOTLIGHT RIYADH

RX Global, which organizes the annual Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and World Travel Market (WTM) London, is launching the inaugural WTM Spotlight Riyadh, aiming to connect Saudi Arabia’s growing tourism market with global industry leaders.

Curtis says WTM Spotlight Riyadh is designed as a more focused platform within Saudi Arabia. “Its distinctive B2B2C model connects international travel businesses with Saudi buyers and stakeholders, while bringing traveler insights closer to those commercial conversations.”

The event is intended to create opportunities to understand demand, build partnerships and develop products around an evolving market.

“Rather than replicating our established events, WTM Spotlight Riyadh is about depth of engagement and laying the foundations for a platform that can grow with Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector,” she says.

Curtis says the event’s success will be measured by more than attendance. “For an inaugural event, success is about establishing the right foundations rather than scale. We want WTM Spotlight Riyadh to create a focused environment where meaningful conversations take place, relationships develop, and new opportunities emerge.”

Ultimately, she says, success will depend on the quality of engagement between Saudi and international travel businesses and the platform’s ability to evolve alongside the Kingdom’s tourism sector and deliver increasing value over time.

Curtis also discusses the presence of Journeys Unpacked, the place intelligence publication, at WTM Spotlight Riyadh.

“Research and intelligence are essential to the development of any tourism industry, helping businesses and destinations understand changing traveler behavior, identify opportunities and make informed decisions,” she says. This is particularly relevant in Saudi Arabia, where tourism is playing an important role in the wider economic transformation under Vision 2030.

“Journeys Unpacked adds to that conversation, at a time when understanding how destinations and traveler expectations are evolving has never been more important.”