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The UN World Tourism Organization’s World Tourism Barometer placed the kingdom first worldwide for international tourism revenue growth in the January-to-March period of 2025, according to data reflected in the Quality of Life Program assessment released by the Saudi Press Agency. International tourist arrivals jumped 102 percent in that quarter, far outpacing the global average rise of 3 percent and the Middle East regional increase of 44 percent. The kingdom ranked third globally and second in the region for arrival growth, the UNWTO figures show.
Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 32 million visitors during the summer season, a 26 percent increase from the previous year, while tourism spending exceeded SR53.2 billion, up 15 percent, the Quality of Life Program report stated. The program itself contributed SR78 billion to gross domestic product and supported the creation of 387,000 jobs, with SR21.8 billion directed toward non-governmental investment. Local content in program projects reached 44 percent, surpassing the 37 percent target.
A broader Global Quality of Life Index covering more than 90 cities in 35 countries has been incorporated into the UN-Habitat strategic plan, the Saudi assessment noted. Citizen satisfaction with government services stood at 85 percent, above the 74 percent benchmark. The program has advanced urban planning through a Saudi Architecture Map that documents 19 distinct styles and launched the Foras platform, which engaged 49 entities to generate more than 19,000 opportunities and returns exceeding SR9 billion.
Entertainment sector growth included 954 operating venues and the delivery of 40 major events that trained 42,000 personnel while spawning 33 startups and 110 businesses, program data indicated. Cultural initiatives encompassed the establishment of a calligraphy center in Madinah and the Red Sea Museum in Jeddah, alongside 6,314 cultural days that exceeded the 3,010 target and the registration of 232 heritage sites. These efforts align with the kingdom’s push to diversify beyond oil under the Vision 2030 plan first unveiled in 2016.
Sports participation reached 59.1 percent among adults, with more than 230,000 individuals joining through the Sports for All platform that formed 9,000 community groups, the report detailed. Security enhancements featured the opening of a unified emergency center in Madinah equipped with 28 response rooms. The World Travel and Tourism Council has separately reported that Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector grew faster than the global average in recent years, contributing substantially to economic expansion and employment.
Tourism revenue for the full year 2024 reached nearly $41 billion, according to national statistics, marking a sharp recovery and expansion from pre-pandemic levels when the sector generated around $16.4 billion in 2019. The Ministry of Tourism has set targets to increase the sector’s GDP share to 5 percent by 2025 with projected revenues approaching $70 billion, World Bank analyses have shown in related economic reviews. These gains form part of sustained investment exceeding $800 billion in tourism infrastructure since the launch of Vision 2030.
