Saudi Domestic Tourism Rises 16% in Q1 2026

Saudi Arabia recorded 28.9 million domestic trips during the first quarter of 2026, a 16% increase compared with the same period in 2025, Domestic tourism spending reached SAR 34.7 billion, up 8% year-on-year, with growing interest in coastal and mountain destinations.

Combining domestic and international travel, the Kingdom welcomed 37.2 million tourists in the first quarter, with total tourism expenditure of SAR 82.7 billion. The average occupancy rate across tourist hospitality facilities stood at 59%, led by Madinah at 82%, followed by Makkah at 60% and Jeddah at 59%.

The Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr school holiday period drew 10 million domestic tourists, a 14% rise over the previous year, with spending of SAR 10.2 billion, a 5% annual increase.

Strong full-year momentum

The figures build on a robust 2025, when domestic tourists numbered 93.3 million with spending of SAR 127.1 billion, up 8.3% and 10.2% respectively compared with 2024. By overnight visits, the top regions in 2025 were Makkah with 28.6 million, Riyadh with 21.8 million, the Eastern Province with 13.0 million and Madinah with 6.5 million.

In terms of domestic visitor spending, Riyadh led with SAR 39.7 billion, followed by Makkah at SAR 38.6 billion, the Eastern Province at SAR 14.6 billion and Madinah at SAR 9.0 billion.

The latest releases point to notable growth in domestic travel toward major coastal areas, including the Eastern Province and the Red Sea coast, as well as mountain destinations. The data reflects the wider goals of رؤية السعودية 2030 to expand tourism and diversify the economy, offering residents and expats across the Kingdom more choices for local getaways.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving