Saudi Arabia has recorded an impressive annual travel surplus of SR49.8 billion ($13.28 billion) for 2024, according to reports from the Saudi Central Bank. This surplus surpassed last year’s record of SR46 billion, reflecting an increase of approximately 8.3% year-on-year.

The substantial growth was primarily fueled by a notable rise in spending from international visitors to the kingdom. Inbound visitor spending soared to a record SR153.6 billion, marking a 13.8% increase compared to the SR135 billion spent in 2023. Furthermore, outbound spending by Saudi residents also saw a rise, with SR103.8 billion spent abroad in 2024, up from SR88 billion the previous year, indicating an 18% increase.