RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s tourism and hospitality sector experienced a significant growth in 2024, with the number of licensed hospitality facilities increasing by 89%, reaching 4,425 across the kingdom. This shows the government’s continuous efforts to develop the sector and draw in more investors.
The Ministry of Tourism’s spokesperson, Mohammed Al-Rasasimah, mentioned that the expansion is part of a broader strategy for developing a world-class hospitality environment. He stated the rise as ‘remarkable’ and noted the increasing number of travelers is the main contributing factor.
Makkah had 1,030 licensed facilities by the end of 2024, marking an 80% increase from the previous year. The region has gained the most licensed facilities and rooms, reflecting the kingdom’s commitment to improving services for tourists and Umrah pilgrims.
The ministry stated that regular checkups are carried out to ensure that the facilities are meeting licensing standards. Fines are used to address violations under the Tourism Law and accommodation rules.
The total number of licensed facilities reached over 3,950 by Q3 2024 across Saudi Arabia, other than Makkah, marking a 99% rise compared to the same month from 2023. The number of licensed rooms increased by 107%, reaching 443,000, up from 214,000 from the previous year.
As per the CoStar data, Makkah and Madinah will have 17,646 and 20,079 rooms respectively by 2025.
The number of inbound tourists increased from 27.4 million in 2023 to 30 million in 2024. Saudi Arabia plans to draw in 150 million visitors annually by 2030 and increase tourism’s GDP contribution from 6% to 10%, supporting the goal of becoming a global travel hub.
