Islamic Inspection Service - SIILHalal

Saudi Arabia welcomed 30 million tourists in 2024, marking a historic milestone — an 8% increase from the previous year. According to the 2024 Annual Statistical Report, tourism spending reached SR 284 billion (US$ 75.7 billion), up 11% from 2023.

This growth aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, a national plan to diversify the economy. Key enablers include expanding the eVisa program to 63 countries, a 96-hour stopover visa, and major infrastructure investments like NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project — including 53,000 new hotel rooms per year.

Religious tourism remains strong, with 35.8 million Umrah pilgrims and 17.4 million overnight visitors to Mecca, but non-religious tourism now accounts for 59% of inbound visits, driven by leisure, business, and family travel.

The Saudi Tourism Authority’s “Color Your Summer 2025” campaign promotes six cultural and adventure-filled destinations. In 2024, the tourism sector contributed SR 498 billion to GDP (12.45%), creating over 2.5 million jobs.

From January to July 2024, Saudi Arabia led the G20 in tourism growth, with a 73% increase over 2019 and a 656% surge in leisure travel. The goal? 150 million visitors annually by 2030, supported by $800 billion in investment.

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