Saudi tourism provides more than one million jobs in the hospitality sector
Introduction: An unprecedented boom in the Saudi tourism sector
is experiencing Saudi tourism rapid growth, reflecting the success of the Kingdom's strategic plans. The latest data from the General Authority for Statistics reveals record-breaking figures confirming the Kingdom's transformation into a leading global tourist destination. The total number of employees in tourism activities has exceeded one million, reflecting the massive investments and efforts made to develop this vital sector and expand its services.
General context and impact of the Kingdom's Vision 2030
This remarkable development comes within the framework of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which primarily aims to diversify national income sources and reduce reliance on oil revenues. The tourism sector is considered one of the most important pillars of this ambitious vision, with the launch of mega tourism and heritage projects such as NEOM, the Red Sea Project, Qiddiya, and Historic Diriyah. These projects coincided with the streamlining of procedures for obtaining electronic tourist visas, making Saudi tourism a key driver of economic growth and a major attraction for local and foreign investment.
Workforce and hospitality facilities statistics
Official data revealed that the total number of licensed tourist hospitality facilities in the Kingdom during the fourth quarter of last year reached 5,937, marking a significant increase of 34.2% compared to the same quarter of the previous year, which saw 4,425 facilities. Regarding employment, the total number of people employed in tourism activities reached approximately 1,030,574, reflecting a 6.6% increase.
In terms of Saudization, the number of employed Saudis reached 247,481, representing 24% of the total workforce in the sector, while the number of non-Saudis reached 783,093, representing 76%. Regarding the demographic distribution by gender, males accounted for 86.7% with 893,924 employees, while female participation reached 13.3% with 136,650 employees, which aligns with ongoing efforts to empower women in the labor market.
Occupancy rates and competitive prices
Distribution of facilities and occupancy rates
Serviced apartments and other hospitality facilities accounted for the largest share at 52%, totaling 3,090 establishments, while hotels comprised 48% with 2,847 hotels. Hotel room occupancy rates grew to 57.3%, an increase of 1.4 percentage points. Serviced apartments maintained a stable occupancy rate of 55.9%.
Average prices and length of stay
To enhance competitiveness and attract more visitors, statistics showed a decrease in the average daily room rate. The average hotel room rate was approximately SAR 389 (a decrease of 11.7%), while the average price in serviced apartments was SAR 207 (a decrease of 5.7%). In a positive indicator of the quality of the tourist experience, the average length of stay in hotels increased to 3.8 nights (an increase of 4.7%), and in serviced apartments to 2.2 nights (an increase of 3.6%).
The importance and expected impact of the event
At the local level: This tremendous growth contributes to creating hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities for citizens, reducing unemployment rates and supporting small and medium enterprises linked to tourism supply chains.
At the regional level: These positive figures reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a strong competitor and preferred destination in the Middle East tourism market, attracting visitors from the GCC countries and Arab countries thanks to major entertainment and cultural events.
At the international level: These statistics send a clear message of confidence to global investors that the Saudi market has a sophisticated infrastructure and increasing demand, which supports the Kingdom’s strategic goal of reaching 150 million visits annually by 2030, and consolidating its leading position on the global tourism map.
