Speaking on the opening day of the event, Dave Goodger, Managing Director, EMEA, Tourism Economics, said international leisure travel to Saudi Arabia, measured by overnight arrivals, is forecast to grow more than three times faster than the global average of 30% over the five-year period. Growth in the Middle East is forecast at 64%.
The forecast follows significant growth in international travel to the Kingdom. Between 2019 and 2025, international travel to Saudi Arabia increased by 67%, compared with 20% across the Middle East and 5% globally. Saudi Arabia generated approximately three-quarters of the region’s international travel growth during that period and also increased its share of the global international travel market.
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| Dave Goodger, Managing Director, EMEA, Tourism Economics |
Dave Goodger said: “Saudi Arabia has rapidly emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic visitor economies, driving around 15% of global travel growth since 2019 and accounting for threequarters of the Middle East’s expansion. With international visitors now approaching half of all nights spent in the Kingdom, this is no longer a purely regional story but a powerful, exportdriven tourism engine built on sustained investment, destination development, and a clear ambition to become a global tourism powerhouse.”
Tourism Economics’ analysis shows that international leisure visitor spending increased its share of total visitor spending in Saudi Arabia from 9% in 2019 to 28% in 2025. The share is forecast to reach 31% by 2030.
The potential for higher-value international leisure demand is also highlighted by research from Dragon Trail International, an official Research Partner for WTM Spotlight Riyadh 2026. Its Chinese Tourism to Saudi Arabia: Special Report 2026 combines consumer and travel trade research on the development of Chinese tourism to the Kingdom and the market segments and travel themes with the strongest growth potential.
The research found that Saudi Arabia is already among the leading MENA destinations sold by the Chinese travel trade. More than half (52%) of surveyed travel agents currently sell Saudi Arabia, while 32% identified the Kingdom as one of the destinations with the greatest future potential for Chinese tourism.
The luxury segment was identified as a significant opportunity. Among surveyed Chinese travel agents, 42% identified high-net-worth and luxury travelers as the segment with the greatest potential for recovery and growth in the MENA region.
Among the experiences identified as attractive to Chinese travelers, 54% of surveyed travel agents cited nature and scenery, followed by adventure and outdoor activities at 45%, museums and cultural landmarks at 41%, interactions with local people at 41% and luxury resorts at 37%.
The hospitality outlook for Saudi Arabia was also presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh through research and forecasts from STR, the global hospitality data and benchmarking specialist.
STR forecasts Riyadh RevPAR to increase by 18.6% in 2027, with returning corporate and consultancy demand expected to outpace new hotel supply. RevPAR growth is forecast to continue over the following four years as Riyadh’s business and leisure economy expands in line with Vision 2030.
In Jeddah, domestic and international demand supported hotel performance during the first half of 2026. The city’s demand was supported by its role as a summer holiday destination and a transit point for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Rapid hotel supply growth remains a factor in the Jeddah market, with more than 2,300 new rooms expected to open in 2027. Both Riyadh and Jeddah are also expected to benefit from stronger MICE demand next year.
Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said: “The insights presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh demonstrate that Saudi Arabia’s tourism transformation is increasingly translating into tangible economic and commercial opportunities. The Kingdom has already achieved remarkable growth in visitor volumes, and the next phase is about building on that momentum by attracting high-value demand and ensuring the benefits extend throughout the tourism ecosystem.
