Saudi domestic travel remains strong

Saudi travel firm Almosafer has revealed trends identified across its consumer travel business, based on booking data collected between 1 January and 20 April.

The company found that tourism in Saudi Arabia remains strong despite the full resumption of international travel post-pandemic, with Almosafer finding that domestic travel accounts for 56 per cent of total bookings made in the year to date – up from 47 per cent for the same period in 2019. Domestic tourism continues to be dominated by major cities such as Abha, Damman, Jeddah, Mecca and Riyadh.

Almosafer noted that Saudi travellers are also spending more on average, on longer trips. The average trip length is now 9.1 days, up 13 per cent from just eight days on average in 2019. Meanwhile, the average cost of trips has similarly risen 15 per cent since before the pandemic.

This trend is particularly strong for domestic travel. Almosafer noting that while prior to the pandemic domestic travel tended towards ‘shorter trips for purposes such as visiting family, friends or for special occasions, Saudis are now considering their own country as a destination to explore’.

Online bookings and solo travel

Almosafer noted that there is a strong trend towards online bookings among Saudi travellers, with 89 per cent of all bookings being made online, compared with just 11 per cent through offline means.

The company also found that there had been a significant surge in ‘solo travellers’ since the pandemic. Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of Saudis travelled alone in 2023, up from just 14 per cent in 2019.

The most popular destinations for Saudi travellers include Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul and London. The popularity of Istanbul has risen substantially since the resumption of regular border controls in Turkey in mid-2022 following the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Doha’s popularity has enjoyed a high level of appeal for Saudi travellers since hosting the 2022 World Cup.

Other trending destinations identified by Almosafer include Bangkok, Rome and Seoul, alongside a general rise in the popularity of Asian destinations.

“The incredible appetite for travel remains undiminished in the kingdom and our report shows that people continue to grasp opportunities to travel both internationally and domestically,” said Muzzammil Ahussain, Chief Executive Officer of Almosafer. “They are spending more money on longer trips and meaningful experiences when they travel. What is also becoming apparent is that Saudi Arabia has become a leisure destination for many Saudis who are beginning to discover the wealth of attractions at their own doorstep.”

Cathy Hudson explored the challenges of providing assistance to travellers on the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca – a key contributor to Saudi Arabian travel figures – in this month’s ITIJ.