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The Riyadh region welcomed 15.1 million tourists from within and outside Saudi Arabia by the end of the third quarter, underscoring the kingdom’s growing presence on the global tourism map.
In an X post, Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Ministry said total tourist spending in the region reached approximately 33 billion riyals ($8.8bn) during the period, marking an 18 per cent year-on-year increase.
Strengthening the tourism sector is a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, as the kingdom seeks to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on crude revenues. Under the National Tourism Strategy, Saudi Arabia aims to attract 150m visitors by the end of the decade.
“The Riyadh region recorded growth in its tourism indicators; the capital witnessed a significant increase in the number of visitors and a rise in the volume of tourism spending during the third quarter of 2025,” the ministry said in the post.
The ministry added that the number of tourist rooms in the Riyadh region rose by 34pc year on year in the third quarter of 2025 to reach 50,000.
According to the ministry, the number of registered tour guides in the Riyadh region climbed to 673 during the third quarter, up 44pc compared with the same period last year.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Tourism Minister Princess Haifa bint Mohammed said domestic tourism spending in the kingdom reached 105bn riyals by the end of the third quarter of 2025, representing an 18pc year-on-year increase. Speaking at the Budget Forum 2026, Princess Haifa said the tourism sector remains one of the most promising drivers of national economic diversification.
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