Saudi Tourism Revenue Hits $81 Billion, 5% of GDP

Saudi Arabia's tourism sector recorded a major milestone in 2025, with total tourism spending reaching around SAR 300 billion (about USD 81 billion) and the sector now contributing roughly 5% of the national GDP.

The 2025 figure represents a 6–7% increase over 2024, when tourism spending stood at about SAR 284 billion — split between roughly SAR 168.5 billion from inbound visitors and about SAR 115 billion from domestic travellers. Visitor numbers climbed to around 122–123 million in 2025, up about 6% from the 116 million recorded in 2024.

Tourism's share of GDP has grown notably, rising from about 3–3.6% in 2019–2020 to close to 5% today. With Saudi GDP estimated at around USD 1.27 trillion, that share corresponds to roughly USD 63–65 billion in direct tourism GDP.

Why it matters

For residents and expats across the Kingdom, the growth reflects an expanding hospitality, travel and leisure economy — from hotels and airlines to restaurants, attractions and seasonal events. The 2024 travel account surplus reached about SAR 49.8 billion, up roughly 7.8% on the previous year, pointing to stronger net tourism receipts.

Under رؤية السعودية 2030, the Kingdom aims for tourism to make up 10% of GDP by 2030, with the annual visitor target now raised to 150 million. The latest results suggest the sector remains on an upward path, supporting jobs and investment nationwide.

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