Saudi Services Imports Rise 8.4% on Travel Spending

Saudi Arabia's services imports climbed to SAR 120.8 billion in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 8.4% compared with SAR 111.4 billion in the first quarter of the year, driven largely by higher spending on travel.

Travel-services imports rose 17% quarter-on-quarter to SAR 25 billion, with personal travel making up roughly 92% of that category. The figures point to strong outbound activity by residents and citizens during the period.

Transport services remained the single largest import category, reaching SAR 34.1 billion. Within that segment, maritime transport accounted for 40.8%, reflecting the role of shipping in the movement of goods to and from the Kingdom.

Why it matters

On the export side, total services exports reached SAR 59.5 billion during the same quarter. The comparison between imports and exports offers a snapshot of how the Kingdom's services economy is developing as spending patterns shift.

For residents and businesses, the data reflects wider trends in travel, logistics, and cross-border services rather than any single fee, permit, or government charge. These national statistics track the value of services flowing in and out of the country and help illustrate consumer and commercial behaviour across the economy.

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