RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 23: The Saudi Ministry of Tourism reported that 2.3 million tourists from Kuwait visited the Kingdom in 2023, making Kuwait the second-largest source of tourists in the Gulf and the fourth globally. This contributed to a significant increase in foreign tourism, with Saudi Arabia receiving a record 27.42 million visitors last year, marking a 64.8% increase compared to 2022. The number of tourists grew by 10.78 million, up from 16.64 million in the previous year.

Total spending by international tourists reached approximately 141.2 billion riyals in 2023. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries were the largest source of foreign tourists, with about 8.6 million visitors. Asia and the Pacific contributed 7.9 million tourists, followed by 5.6 million from the Middle East, 2.7 million from Europe, 2 million from Africa, and 470,000 from the Americas.

Of the total visitors in 2023, 18.7 million came from just 10 countries, representing 68.2% of the total. Bahrain topped the list with 3.39 million tourists, followed by Egypt with 2.59 million and Pakistan with 2.47 million. The UAE contributed 1.37 million visitors, Qatar 1.09 million, and the Sultanate of Oman 455,000.

Over the past nine years, Saudi Arabia has received 136.68 million tourists, generating a total spending of 744.87 billion riyals ($198.63 billion). The reasons for visiting varied, including religious tourism, vacations, entertainment, sports, family visits, and business purposes.

Hotels were the primary accommodation choice for international tourists, hosting 15.7 million visitors, which accounted for 57% of all hospitality facilities. Private residences hosted 5.7 million tourists (21%), while serviced apartments accommodated 5.3 million tourists (19%). Combined, hotels and apartments represented 76% of the total hospitality options for international tourists.