Saudi Arabia’s international leisure tourism is forecast to grow 93 percent between 2025 and 2030, more than three times the global growth rate, according to new research from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, presented at WTM Spotlight Riyadh. International leisure travel to the Kingdom is expected to significantly outperform the 30 percent growth forecast globally and the 64 percent increase predicted across the wider Middle East over the same period.
Dave Goodger, Managing Director EMEA at Tourism Economics, said the Kingdom’s international leisure travel is forecast to grow more than three times faster than the global average, building on 67 percent growth in international travel between 2019 and 2025, compared with 20 percent regionally and 5 percent globally. Leisure’s share of international visitor spending in the Kingdom rose from 9 percent in 2019 to 28 percent last year, and is forecast to reach 31 percent by 2030.
On the hotel performance side, STR forecasts Riyadh RevPAR to grow 18.6 percent in 2027, as returning corporate and consultancy demand outpaces new hotel supply, with growth expected to continue over the following four years. Jeddah recorded strong domestic and international demand through the first half of 2026, supported by its role as a summer destination and Hajj and Umrah transit point, though more than 2,300 new rooms are expected to open there in 2027.