Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector reached new record levels in 2025, welcoming approximately 123 million domestic and international tourists while generating a historic SR304 billion in tourism spending.
According to the Ministry of Tourism’s 2025 Annual Statistical Report, total visitor numbers increased by around six percent compared with 2024, while tourism expenditure rose seven percent year-on-year.
The results highlight the continued expansion of the Kingdom’s tourism industry as Saudi Arabia accelerates efforts to diversify its economy under Vision 2030 and reduce its dependence on oil revenues.
Tourism Spending Reaches Record SR304 Billion
Total tourism spending climbed to SR304 billion in 2025, marking the highest level ever recorded by the sector.
International visitors contributed SR176.6 billion, while domestic tourism spending reached SR127.1 billion.
The report also revealed that Saudi Arabia welcomed 29.3 million international tourists during the year, while domestic travel accounted for 93.3 million trips.
Non-Religious Travel Continues To Grow
A significant trend highlighted in the report is the growing importance of non-religious travel to the Kingdom.
In 2025, around 52 percent of inbound overnight visitors travelled to Saudi Arabia for purposes other than religious tourism, compared with 44 percent in 2019.
The figures demonstrate the success of the country’s efforts to develop leisure, cultural, entertainment and business tourism alongside its traditional religious travel market.
Tourism’s Economic Impact Expands
The tourism sector continued to strengthen its contribution to the Saudi economy, directly accounting for 4.9 percent of GDP in 2024, representing growth of 14 percent compared with the previous year.
The industry also delivered a travel account surplus of SR49.4 billion within the balance of payments, contributing more than 61 percent of total exports within the services sector.
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the latest results demonstrate tourism’s transformation into a major economic driver for the Kingdom.
Tourism Employment Surpasses One Million Jobs
The report showed tourism-related employment reached nearly 1.03 million jobs in 2025, underlining the sector’s growing importance as a source of employment.
Female participation in tourism also continued to increase significantly. Saudi women accounted for approximately 47 percent of Saudi nationals employed in tourism-related activities, compared with just five percent at the end of 2018.
The figures highlight how tourism has become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Saudi economy, supporting workforce participation and creating new opportunities for Saudi citizens as the Kingdom continues its ambitious tourism expansion strategy.
