Saudi Arabia welcomed 116 million tourists in 2024, exceeding its annual visitor target for the second year in a row, the official data showed.
According to the Tourism Ministry’s latest annual statistical report, the figure includes 29.7m inbound tourists, an eight per cent increase year on year, and 86.2m domestic trips, up 5pc from 2023.
The milestone reflects the continued acceleration of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy, which positions tourism as a central driver of economic diversification.
After surpassing its original 100m visitor goal six years ahead of schedule in 2023, Saudi Arabia has revised its ambitions upward, now aiming to attract 150m tourists annually by 2030. This figure is split between 70m international and 80m domestic visitors.
In a post on X, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb said: “The 2024 Annual Statistical Report showcases the sector’s remarkable growth and its role in enabling Saudi Vision 2030, a record performance achieved with the support and guidance of the kingdom’s visionary leadership.”
Total tourism spending in 2024 hit 283.8 billion riyals ($75.6bn), with inbound tourists contributing 168.5bn riyals, up 19pc from 2023, while domestic tourist expenditure reached 115.3bn riyals, a 1pc rise.
“The tourism sector continued to achieve record growth, reaffirming its transformation into a key driver of economic development and a fundamental pillar in advancing and diversifying the national economy,” the minister said.
Inbound tourism also reached a record monthly peak in March with 3.2m visitors. The average international tourist stayed 19 nights and spent 5,669 riyals per trip.
A standout development in 2024 was the continued rise in non-religious tourism, now representing 59pc of inbound visits compared to 44pc in 2019.
Leisure and holiday travel topped this category, with related spending reaching 36.4bn riyals.
Mecca remained the top destination, drawing 17.4m overnight visitors, and Egypt was the leading source market with 3.2m arrivals.
Regional analysis revealed that Asia and the Pacific accounted for the largest share of inbound tourists, at 33pc, followed by the Middle East and North Africa at 28pc, and the GCC at 27pc.
Europe contributed 8pc, while both the Americas and Africa each made up 2pc of total visitors.
The sustained growth reflects the kingdom’s continued focus on developing its tourism infrastructure and global outreach.
The ministry noted that this report highlights the exceptional and accelerated growth achieved by the sector through targeted marketing campaigns and support programs, contributing to the sector’s record-breaking performance.
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