New Research: 5 Paths to Sustainable Success in Saudi Tourism

Tourism in Saudi Arabia was an economic opportunity almost completely untapped less than a decade ago. Now, it’s become an integral part of the Kingdom’s transformation, creating jobs and empowering authentic Saudi experiences in local communities.

Still, the players involved in Saudi tourism development also understand the cautionary tale of believing too strongly in the old adage: “If you build it, they will come.” Success does not automatically follow money. It takes comprehensive buy-in from all stakeholders to invest in long-term, shared opportunities.

This report, published in partnership with the Tourism Development Fund (TDF), tells the story of what can happen when government agencies, travel companies, local communities, and eager travelers come together to explore the previously unexplored.

In this report:

• Data from a new survey of 434 global travel executives on the opportunities for expansion into and across Saudi Arabia: Explore sentiments and insights from travel leaders across more than a dozen countries worldwide.
• 91% of global travel executives are already involved or interested in tourism investment in Saudi Arabia: Discover where they see opportunities and challenges to overcome as they embark on new projects.
• Inbound tourism has increased nearly 70% since 2019: See what is positioning Saudi Arabia among the top-performing global destinations in terms of absolute growth.
• Domestic and religious tourism continue to grow exponentially: Learn why it’s critical for travel and hospitality companies to also consider projects outside of major cities and gigaprojects to capture these massive consumer markets today.
• Investors are exploring projects in all sectors and segments: Find out why the perception that new development is exclusively luxury is short-sighted and misrepresented.
• 5 paths to sustainable success in Saudi tourism investment: See how interest, intent, and action will turn into the ability to thrive for the long term.