Tourists from GCC Nations Spend $4B in Saudi Arabia in 2023

2023 was a record year for Saudi Arabia, welcoming 8.6 million tourists from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. GCC countries include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, these GCC tourists spent more than USD 4 billion (SAR 15 billion). Bahrain emerged as the top GCC country among the GCC tourists, with 3.4 million in total. Kuwait followed with 2.3 million, the UAE with 1.4 million, Qatar with 1.1 million, and Oman with 455,000 tourists.

Tourists by the numbers

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia received 7.9 million visitors from the Asia Pacific region, with 2.47 million visitors from Pakistan. In the Middle East region, the kingdom received 5.6 million travelers, with 2.58 million from Egypt and 1.12 million from Jordan.

Other countries also contributed sizeable tourist numbers. These included the US with 331,000 visitors, Algeria with 523,000 visitors. Looking at Europe, on the other hand, Europe provided 680,000 visitors, with Uzbekistan and the UK among the top countries. In particular, Saudi Arabia received 540,000 visitors from Uzbekistan and 370,000 visitors from the UK.

All in all, Saudi Arabia received 27 million international visitors who spent SAR 141 billion (USD 37 billion) while in the kingdom. Meanwhile, the combined total of international and domestic tourists was over 109 million.

Growth and resilience

Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb noted how such a milestone indicates the growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector.

“The 2023 data reveal that our tourism sector is experiencing remarkable growth and resilience,” he said.  “The statistics shown in the report not only reflect the success of tourism policies but also demonstrate the vibrant economic activity driven by this sector.”

“The influx of tourists has bolstered local businesses, from hospitality to retail, and has notably invigorated the national economy,” he added.

Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects

In May 2024, Al-Khateeb also emphasized that Saudi Arabia is investing over USD 800 billion (SAR 3 trillion). These funds will go into several giga-projects over the next 10 years. These projects will specifically target wealthy tourists from China, Europe, and India.

During an investment forum in Qatar, Al-Khateeb spoke about these giga-projects.

“We’re building and investing in major destinations like Neom, Red Sea, Qiddiya and Diriyah, with an announced investment of more than $800 billion in the next seven years,” he remarked.

In addition, Saudi Arabia has infrastructure projects such as the new Riyadh airport for Riyadh Air, to open in 2030. This will increase the city’s accessibility from around the world.

These projects and milestones underscore Saudi’s Vision 2030. One of the kingdom’s goals is to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030. Authorities target a split of 80 million domestic tourists and 70 million international tourists.

In December, a GCC summit approved the creation of a unified tourist visa among GCC nations. This allowed GCC nationals to freely visit fellow GCC countries as they wish. Specifically, they can stay in the GCC country they are visiting for over 30 days. This Gulf tourist visa will be launched in the latter part of 2024.

Photo by NEOM on Unsplash