Domestic Tourists in Saudi Arabia Mostly Solo Travelers

Solo travelers are leading the pack regarding domestic tourist numbers in Saudi Arabia.

According to Wego’s research, domestic travel bookings were higher by 20.31 percent during Eid Al-Fitr in 2024 than in 2023. Domestic travel bookings also went up by 19.63 percent for Eid Al-Fitr versus in the previous month. In addition, Wego recorded more than three million searches for Riyadh.

Top destinations for domestic travel

In particular, travelers chose Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh as their top three destinations during the Eid Al-Fitr holidays. For instance, Dammam has several entertainment centers such as toddler play centers, esports arcades, and escape rooms.

Jeddah, meanwhile, held a series of theatrical performances, music concerts, folk shows, and interactive activities. Riyadh, on the other hand, held a mix of modern and traditional activities, from live concerts to fireworks displays.

The cities of Abha, Al Qassim, Jizan, Medina, Najran, Tabuk, followed by Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh as popular domestic travel destinations.

Spontaneous planning for solo travelers

Wego is a travel booking website where users can look for and compare flight fares and accommodation prices. It specifically caters to travelers from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

While solo travelers topped Saudi domestic travel, couples and families closely followed in terms of numbers.

Most domestic travelers made bookings two to seven days before departure, indicating a sense of spontaneity or last-minute travel plans.

It’s important to note that domestic travel isn’t just high during Eid Al-Fitr holidays but during other holidays, as well. For instance, research showed that there were month-on-month spikes for New Year and Founding Day (held every February 22^nd of the year).

Ramping up tourism efforts

These statistics reveal how many Saudi travelers opt for local destinations during holidays.

In line with this, the Saudi Ministry of Interior earlier reported that Saudi Arabia had received 100 million visitors in 2023 alone. Domestic tourists comprised a sizeable portion of these.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is ramping up efforts on the tourism front, with huge infrastructural projects underway. Given this, Wego expects these to encourage even more Saudis to explore the country, and attract foreign tourists, as well. By 2030, Saudi Arabia hopes to welcome over 150 million visitors annually.

Meanwhile, on the international tourism front, Saudi Arabia ranked top 2 among popular destinations in the MENA region. Saudi Arabia continues to attract foreign tourists for its wealth of natural landscapes, architectural marvels, rich culture and heritage.

Wego also reported that among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Saudi Arabia led the pack for driving tourism to India. India experienced a 40.71 percent year-on-year increase in international flights from Saudi Arabia.

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