The Riyadh Season helped Saudi Arabia to post a significant 47.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase in international visitors in Q3, 2024, an industry report said.
The popular cultural and sporting event also led to a substantial growth in tourist spending in the quarter, according to the Travel Pulse study by Visa.
Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a leading cultural and entertainment hub was further highlighted by Riyadh Season, which saw over 500,000 Visa cardholders from around the world visit the Kingdom’s capital in Q4, the study said.
“Riyadh Season is more than just entertainment – it is a catalyst for economic growth, and a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism goals,” said Ali Bailoun, Regional General Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman at Visa.
“Visa’s latest insights underscore Riyadh Season’s pivotal role in accelerating Saudi Arabia’s transition into a world-class tourism and entertainment hub, reinforcing the Kingdom’s drive to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030,” he said.
The study said key cultural events such as the Amr Diab Concert, the Ana Arabia and Harry Potter Experience and Rabeh Saqer Night contributed to the surge in visitors.
Besides, major sporting spectacles, including WWE and the WTA Finals also played a significant role in attracting tourists to Riyadh.
Additionally, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)’s Conference of Parties (COP16) further boosted visitor numbers and spending in the city, the study said.
The study showed Riyadh welcoming Visa cardholders from 195 countries during Q4 2024, with Kuwait (83 per cent YoY increase in visitors), Qatar (43 per cent) and the UAE (29 per cent) accounting for the highest share of visitors and spending.
This is followed by the UK (42 per cent) and USA (30 per cent).
Mainland China emerged as the fastest-growing visitor market, with a 111 per cent increase YoY in Q4, 2024.
Travel Pulse, prepared using transaction data from Visa cards issued globally, leverages VisaNet data and analytics to analyse inbound travel trends in Saudi Arabia and impact on the local economy.
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