Licensed Hospitality Facilities in Saudi Arabia Rise 22.7% in Q1 2026

The number of licensed hospitality facilities in Saudi Arabia reached 6,122 during the first quarter of 2026, marking a 22.7% increase compared with the same period last year, according to new figures from the General Authority for Statistics.

Serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities accounted for 3,159 licensed establishments, representing 51.6% of the total, while hotels made up the remaining 2,963 establishments, or 48.4%.

The authority also reported that tourism establishments employing staff increased by 9% year-on-year to approximately 177,031 during the first quarter. Employment across tourism activities rose 6.5% to around 1,047,313 workers, including 250,094 Saudi nationals and 797,219 non-Saudi employees.

Guest stay patterns were mixed during the quarter. The average hotel stay increased to 4.2 nights from 4.1 a year earlier, while guests at serviced apartments and similar facilities stayed an average of 2.2 nights, up 1.2%. Hotel occupancy declined to 60.8%, compared with 63% in the first quarter of 2025, while occupancy at serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities rose to 51.6%.

Average daily room rates eased over the same period, with hotels recording an average rate of SAR 423 and serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities averaging SAR 206. The latest figures come as the National Tourism Strategy continues to support the expansion of Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector after the country surpassed its target of attracting 100 million visitors ahead of its 2030 goal of 150 million.