Historic Tourism Achievement

The Saudi Tourism Authority announced today that the Kingdom has welcomed a record 30 million international tourists in 2025, marking a transformative year for the nation's tourism sector. This milestone surpasses the Vision 2030 interim target of 27 million visitors, achieved two years ahead of schedule.

Economic Impact

Tourism contributed SAR 375 billion to the Kingdom's GDP in 2025, representing a 28% increase from the previous year. The sector now accounts for 7.2% of total GDP, up from 3.2% in 2019. Over 1.2 million new jobs have been created in tourism-related industries since the launch of Vision 2030.

Key Growth Drivers

Several factors contributed to this achievement:

• Launch of new entertainment seasons across 12 cities
• Opening of major cultural destinations including NEOM's The Line visitor experience
• Streamlined e-visa process now covering 80+ nationalities
• Record investment in hospitality infrastructure with 45,000 new hotel rooms added
• Expansion of direct flight routes by Saudia and flynas to 45 new destinations

Looking Ahead

The Saudi Tourism Authority has set an ambitious target of 50 million annual tourists by 2027, with planned investments of SAR 500 billion in tourism infrastructure over the next five years. Major projects including The Red Sea destination, Qiddiya entertainment city, and NEOM are expected to be key drivers of future growth.