Saudi Arabia ranked among the top countries worldwide in tourism spending in 2014, according to data released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
In the report, data showed that tourists from Saudi Arabia, India, the Philippines, and Qatar spent 30 percent m ore than the previous year.
Out-bound tourism for Saudis during 2014 reached SR 74.2 billion in a nine-month period (Jan-Sep 2013) whereas Saudi tourists spent SR28 billion on in-land tourism during the same period. Meanwhile, the volume of incoming tourism reached SR47.9 billion, the report said.
Although tourism in Saudi Arabia largely revolves around religious tourism (Haj and Umrah), in recent years there has been a growth in the leisure tourism sector. According to the World Bank, approximately 14.3 million people visited Saudi Arabia in 2012, making it the world’s 19th-most-visited country. Potential tourist areas include the Hijaz and Sarawat Mountains, Red Sea diving and a number of ancient ruins such as Madain Salih site.
In December 2013, Saudi Arabia announced its intention to begin issuing tourist visas for the first time in its history.
The Council of Ministers entrusted the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) with visa issuance on the basis of certain regulations approved by the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs.
Tourist spending up 30% in 2014
