Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah recorded strong tourism activity during the first quarter of 2026 as total tourism spending reached SAR82.7 billion, supported largely by rising domestic travel demand. Preliminary official figures showed 37.2 million domestic and inbound tourists during the period, with domestic tourism emerging as a major contributor to visitor activity across the Kingdom’s hospitality, aviation, events and leisure sectors.
The latest data highlights the growing role of domestic travel within Saudi Arabia’s tourism landscape. While international arrivals remain an important component of the sector, domestic tourism continued generating significant visitor movement across cities, heritage destinations, religious tourism centres and emerging leisure developments.
Domestic Tourism Drives Visitor Growth Across the Kingdom
Domestic travel played a central role in tourism performance during the first quarter of 2026. Official figures indicated that domestic tourist numbers reached approximately 28.9 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 16 percent.
The rise in domestic travel translated into SAR34.7 billion in spending, supporting tourism businesses across multiple regions. Hotels, airlines, transportation providers, restaurants, attractions and event venues all benefited from increased movement within the country.
Saudi travellers continued exploring destinations ranging from major urban centres such as Riyadh and Jeddah to heritage destinations including AlUla and religious tourism hubs such as Makkah and Madinah. The expansion of tourism infrastructure across the Kingdom has created more opportunities for residents to travel domestically throughout the year.
Riyadh and Jeddah Continue Expanding Their Tourism Appeal
Riyadh remains one of Saudi Arabia’s most important tourism and business travel destinations. The capital continues attracting visitors through conferences, exhibitions, sporting events, entertainment activities and cultural attractions.
Jeddah also remains a major tourism gateway, serving both international and domestic travellers. Located on the Red Sea coast, the city combines business tourism, leisure travel, cultural experiences and maritime activities. Jeddah’s role as an aviation hub further supports tourism flows across the Kingdom.
The continued growth in domestic travel has strengthened occupancy levels and visitor activity in both cities, supporting broader tourism development objectives.
Religious Tourism Maintains a Central Position
Makkah and Madinah continue to play a significant role in Saudi Arabia’s tourism economy. Religious tourism remains one of the country’s most important travel segments, attracting millions of visitors throughout the year.
Domestic travellers contribute substantially to religious tourism activity, particularly during key periods associated with pilgrimages and religious observances. Hotels, transportation services and hospitality providers in both cities continue supporting large visitor volumes as religious travel remains a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s tourism sector.
The combination of domestic and international religious tourism helps sustain year-round visitor activity across these destinations.
Hotels, Airlines and Tourism Services Benefit From Domestic Demand
The increase in domestic tourism spending contributed to activity across multiple segments of the travel industry. Hotel operators benefited from stronger occupancy rates, while airlines and transport providers experienced growing demand for intercity connectivity.
Saudi Arabia’s expanding aviation network continues supporting tourism growth by improving access between major cities and emerging destinations. Domestic air travel remains particularly important given the country’s geographic size and growing tourism portfolio.
The hospitality sector also continues expanding as new hotel developments and tourism projects enter the market in response to growing visitor demand.
MICE Tourism Supports Business Travel Growth
Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) remain a significant contributor to Saudi Arabia’s tourism strategy. Riyadh and Jeddah continue hosting international conferences, trade exhibitions and corporate events that attract both domestic and international participants.
Business travel associated with MICE activities contributes to hotel demand, transportation usage and visitor spending. The segment remains an important component of tourism diversification efforts under the Kingdom’s long-term development plans.
As conference and event infrastructure continues expanding, MICE tourism remains a key driver of travel activity throughout the year.
Vision 2030 Tourism Development Continues
Tourism remains a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy. Major projects across the Kingdom continue expanding accommodation capacity, visitor attractions, transportation networks and tourism services.
Destinations such as AlUla, the Red Sea region, Diriyah and other tourism developments are helping diversify travel experiences available to both domestic and international visitors. These projects are designed to support long-term tourism growth while encouraging greater exploration of destinations across the Kingdom.
The first-quarter figures demonstrate how domestic tourism continues supporting sector performance as Saudi Arabia advances its broader tourism development objectives.
With total tourism spending reaching SAR82.7 billion and domestic travel accounting for a significant share of visitor activity, Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector entered 2026 with strong internal demand. As the Kingdom continues expanding its tourism offerings, domestic travellers remain an important force supporting hotels, airlines, events, religious tourism and destination development across the country.
