Saudi Arabia leisure tourism forecast to surge 93% by 2030

Saudi Arabia is experiencing a significant transformation in its tourism and public relations sectors driven by Vision 2030. A report by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, forecasts that leisure tourism in the Kingdom will surge by 93 percent between 2025 and 2030. This growth rate is expected to outpace both the Middle East average of 64 percent and the global market growth of 30 percent.

Between 2019 and 2025, international travel to Saudi Arabia grew by 67 percent, accounting for nearly 15 percent of global travel growth during that period. Leisure travelers are becoming a larger portion of the economy, with their share of international visitor spending expected to rise from 9 percent in 2019 to 31 percent by 2030.

This economic shift is supported by massive strategic investments. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) has anchored major PR and development campaigns across sports, fashion, and tourism. Notable sports investments include the acquisition of Newcastle United and the launch of LIV Golf, part of a broader strategy to expand the Kingdom's international presence and economic diversification.