Kingdom attracts 116 million tourists in 2024 with record 30 million inbound visitors

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector is riding a wave of momentum, having attracted a record 116 million tourists in 2024, up 6% from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Tourism’s newly released 2024 Annual Statistical Report.

This includes 30 million inbound tourists, the kingdom’s highest number to date and an 8% rise compared to 2023.

Total tourism spend last year also hit record levels at SR284 billion (US$75.6 billion), reflecting an 11% year-on-year growth, with inbound tourists contributing SAR168.5 billion, up 19% from 2023.

In a post on X, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the kingdom's tourism sector continues to “achieve record growth”, reaffirming its transformation into a key driver of economic development.

Saudi Arabia surpassed its initial goal of 100 million annual visitors by 2030, achieving this milestone in 2023, six years ahead of schedule, and is now targeting 150 million by 2030, split between 70 million international and 80 million domestic tourists.

Religious tourism continues to be a major contributor to the sector, with the Holy City of Medinah alone drawing 18 million overnight visitors in 2024, a 18.7% increase on the previous year.

But there has also been a notable rise in non-religious tourism, representing 59% of inbound visits in 2024, compared to less than half (44%) in 2019.

Leisure and holiday travel topped this category, with related spending reaching SAR36.4 billion.

Masjid An Nabawi in Madinah

Asia and the Pacific accounted for the largest share of inbound tourists in 2024, at 33%, followed by the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at 28% and the GCC at 27%. Europe contributed 8%, while both the Americas and Africa each made up 2% of total visitors.

Looking ahead, after inbound tourism reached a record monthly peak in March with 3.2 million visitors, the kingdom is targeting 41 million visitors and tourism spend of SAR73 billion (US$19.5 billion) between May and September, as part of its ambitious summer campaign.

Saudi's growth is underpinned by a hotel development pipeline that is among the most ambitious in the world, with a record 85,416 rooms currently in the pipeline as of the first quarter of 2025.

Backed by a US$110 billion investment, Saudi aims to deliver more than 362,000 new hotel rooms by 2030, with 42,800 rooms already under contract.

For more information, visit mt.gov.sa

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