RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has announced on Tuesday a historic surge in its inbound tourism for the first half of 2023.
The preliminary data revealed a 142% increase in the number of inbound tourists compared to the same period in 2022, reaching 14.6 million visitors.
This growth is accompanied by a significant 132% rise in inbound tourism spending, contributing SR86.9 billion to the economy and setting a new record in the sector.
The country’s total tourism figures were equally impressive, with an overall count of 53.6 million tourists, which includes a substantial domestic tourism sector of 39.0 million tourists.
The total tourism spending achieved a new milestone, reaching SR150 billion, showcasing the sector’s robust growth and resilience.
Notably, domestic tourism also witnessed a substantial increase, with a 16% rise in spending and an average stay length extending to 6.3 nights, up from 4.6 nights in the first half of 2022.
Leisure remains the primary purpose…