Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia topped the UN Tourism’s ranking for the growth of international tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019 among large destinations, achieving an increase of 56%, according to the World Tourism Barometer report released last month.
The kingdom recorded a remarkable tourism recovery rate of 156% in international tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019, the report revealed.
These notable achievements in the tourism sector have positioned Saudi Arabia as a leader in the Middle East region’s global tourism recovery, which was the only region to surpass pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels with a 122% recovery rate in international tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019.
Various tourist destinations within the Kingdom witnessed a significant increase in both domestic and inbound visitors in 2023. Additionally, Saudi Arabia set a record in international tourist receipts, with total spending exceeding SAR 100 billion ($27 billion) for the first three quarters of 2023, according to Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) balance of payments.