Saudi Arabia Tops UN International Tourism Growth Rankings

Saudi Arabia topped the United Nations' tourism list for international tourist growth in 2023 compared to 2019 among major tourist countries, achieving a 56 percent increase in incoming tourists in 2023 relative to 2019, according to the barometer report issued by the UN tourism in January 2024. The report also indicates that the Kingdom experienced a recovery of 156 percent in the number of incoming tourists during 2023 compared to 2019. The remarkable achievements in the tourism sector have positioned the Kingdom to lead the Middle East’s recovery in global tourism, as it is the only region to exceed pre-COVID-19 growth levels, as reported by the Saudi News Agency "SPA." The recovery rate for international tourist numbers reached 122 percent in the Middle East during 2023 compared to 2019. Various tourist destinations in the Kingdom saw a significant increase in both incoming and local visitors throughout 2023, and the Kingdom achieved a new record in visitor spending, according to balance of payments data released by the Saudi Central Bank, with total visitor spending exceeding 100 billion riyals in the first three quarters of 2023. These achievements enhance the Kingdom's status as a leading global tourist destination and reflect the considerable increase in incoming tourist numbers, illustrating travelers' confidence in the Kingdom's attractive and diverse tourism options.