RIYADH — Saudi Arabia recorded a new historical high of around 123 million inbound and domestic tourists during the year 2025, representing growth of approximately six percent compared to 2024.
Total tourism spending posted record growth of seven percent, amounting to SR304 billion last year compared to 2024, according to the Annual Statistical Report for 2025 released by the Ministry of Tourism.
The report highlighted Saudi tourism’s robust performance and ongoing transformation. It underscores the sector’s rapid growth aligned with the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb stated that the strong performance outlined in the report was made possible by the unwavering support and astute direction of the Kingdom’s leadership, which has been instrumental in positioning tourism as a key enabler of economic diversification and Saudi Vision 2030 goals.
“The 2025 results signal more than growth; they reflect the structural transformation of tourism into a high-impact economic engine for the Kingdom. Reaching nearly SR304 billion in domestic and inbound tourism spending marks a new record for Saudi tourism and underscores the sector’s accelerating role in diversification and economic growth,” the minister said. Just as importantly, this momentum is translating into tangible social impact through job creation, community empowerment, and enhancements in quality of life, he pointed out.
The report showcased tourism’s role in the Kingdom’s economic activity, directly contributing 4.9 percent of GDP in 2024, with that contribution growing by 14 percentcompared to the previous year. This economic contribution continued in 2025, reflected in a surplus of SR49.4 billion achieved in the travel account of the balance of payments, contributing more than 61 percent of total exports in the services account.
The report also provides insights into the diverse demand drivers shaping the Kingdom’s tourism landscape. In 2025, the Kingdom recorded 29.3 million foreign tourists, with total inbound tourism spending reaching SR176.6 billion, compared to 93.3 million domestic tourists generating SR127.1 billion in total domestic tourism spending.
Non-religious purposes accounted for approximately 52 percent of total inbound overnight visitors’ purpose of trip in 2025, representing more than half of all inbound overnight visitors, compared to 44 percent in 2019.
In terms of social impact, the report also highlighted that employment in tourism industries reached nearly 1.03 million jobs in 2025. Meanwhile, Saudi women accounted for around 47 percent of total Saudi employees in tourism characteristic activities, compared to 5 percent by the end of 2018. This underscores the sector’s crucial role in job creation and the empowerment of national talent.
The Ministry of Tourism asked investors, stakeholders, and researchers to explore the full 2025 Annual Statistical Report on its official website, mt.gov.sa.
Source: Saudi Gazette