European Tourists Visiting Saudi Arabia Increased by 24% in 2024

Tourists from Europe visiting Saudi Arabia surged by 24% to 4 million in 2024, with spending soaring by 41% to USD 7.9 billion. These figures were announced by Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), at ITB Berlin 2025.

ITB Berlin is the world’s largest tourism trade fair, facilitating and highlighting trade partnerships and experiences from across the world. This year, the Saudi tourism delegation, led by Hamidaddin, welcomed over 30,000 visitors to its stand, Saudi Land, and held over 760 business meetings.

“Saudi’s transformation into a global tourism powerhouse is not just a vision – it’s a reality in motion,” Hamidaddin said at ITB Berlin.

As a hub of sports and cultural events, Saudi Arabia is becoming an attractive destination for tourists globally, with sporting events such as the Grand Prix, World Cup 2034 and Dakar Rally.

Saudi Arabia also hosts a number of luxury travel destinations, coastal and desert. The 28,000 square kilometres of Red Sea coastline will host 16 resorts by the end of 2025, with 32 more planned to be constructed by 2030. AIUIa, a desert oasis and home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, was also advertised at Saudi Land. Unique wellness experiences for solo women travellers and families reflect Saudi’s continued efforts to showcase the Kingdom as a female-friendly destination; 44% of visitors in 2024 were women, and of those, 36% were solo travellers.

Key announcements at the event included Eurowings’ new airline route between Stuttgart and Jeddah, starting November 2025. STA and Riyadh-based travel agency Bonjour Saudi announced a strategic partnership to facilitate business for international firms in Saudi.