Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) — Building a 150 Million Visitor Destination

Saudi Tourism Authority — Crafting a New Global Destination

The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) is the government body responsible for one of the most ambitious tourism development programs ever attempted: transforming a nation that issued its first tourist visas only in September 2019 into a top-five global tourism destination attracting 150 million annual visits by 2030. The scale of this ambition becomes clearer when contextualized — France, the world’s most visited country, welcomed approximately 100 million international tourists in its record year. Saudi Arabia is attempting to match and exceed that figure within barely a decade of opening its doors, while simultaneously building the tourism infrastructure, hospitality workforce, destination branding, and regulatory framework required to accommodate such volumes.

STA was formally established in 2020 as the successor and expansion of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), which had operated since 2000 but focused primarily on domestic tourism and heritage preservation rather than international destination marketing. The reconstitution reflected the elevation of tourism from a peripheral government function to a central pillar of Vision 2030’s economic diversification strategy. Tourism is targeted to contribute 10 percent of GDP by 2030, up from approximately 3 percent at the time of Vision 2030’s launch in 2016.

The Starting Point: A Country That Did Not Welcome Tourists

Understanding STA’s challenge requires appreciating Saudi Arabia’s starting position. Until 2019, the Kingdom had no tourist visa category. The only foreigners visiting Saudi Arabia were religious pilgrims performing Hajj or Umrah, business travelers, and expatriate workers. The concept of visiting Saudi Arabia for leisure — to explore archaeological sites, enjoy beaches, attend entertainment events, or experience cultural festivals — was essentially nonexistent in the global tourism market.

This was not merely a regulatory gap but a perceptual one. Saudi Arabia was associated in the global imagination with religious conservatism, gender restrictions, desert landscapes, and oil wealth — attributes that did not align with the motivations of most international leisure travelers. The ban on cinemas (lifted in 2018), the prohibition on women driving (lifted in 2018), the requirement for female visitors to wear abayas (relaxed in 2019), and the absence of entertainment and nightlife options created a perception of Saudi Arabia as an unwelcoming and culturally restrictive destination.

STA’s mandate, therefore, extends far beyond traditional destination marketing. The authority must simultaneously build awareness, shift perceptions, create products, develop infrastructure, train workforces, and generate demand in a market where Saudi Arabia is starting from near-zero brand recognition as a leisure destination.

Tourism Strategy and Target Segments

STA’s tourism strategy identifies several distinct visitor segments and develops tailored propositions for each.

Religious Tourism. Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage remains the foundation of Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, with approximately 20 million religious visitors annually generating over $12 billion in revenue. STA’s strategy for religious tourism focuses on enhancing the pilgrim experience through improved infrastructure, digital services, and expanded accommodation options while increasing per-visitor spending through pre- and post-pilgrimage leisure extensions.

The integration of religious and leisure tourism represents a significant strategic innovation. STA promotes multi-city itineraries that combine Makkah and Madinah pilgrimage with visits to Riyadh, Jeddah, AlUla, and other cultural destinations. The expansion of Umrah visa validity to allow 90-day stays with freedom of movement throughout the Kingdom has been particularly effective in encouraging pilgrims to extend their trips and explore the country.

Cultural and Heritage Tourism. Saudi Arabia possesses a wealth of cultural assets that are largely unknown to international audiences. These include six UNESCO World Heritage Sites (with more on the tentative list), thousands of archaeological sites spanning millennia of human habitation, a rich tradition of art, music, poetry, and craftsmanship, and a diverse landscape ranging from Red Sea coral reefs to mountain villages to vast desert formations.

STA’s cultural tourism strategy centers on a handful of anchor destinations that can serve as catalysts for broader exploration. AlUla, the ancient oasis city in northwestern Saudi Arabia that was home to the Nabataean civilization’s southern capital (Hegra/Mada’in Salih), has been developed as a premium cultural destination with luxury resorts, curated heritage experiences, and a year-round calendar of cultural events including the Desert X AlUla art installation series. The Royal Commission for AlUla, a separate entity from STA, leads the destination’s development, but STA handles its international marketing and promotion.

Diriyah, the birthplace of the Saudi state located on the outskirts of Riyadh, is being developed as a UNESCO heritage quarter and cultural district that will include museums, galleries, traditional markets, boutique hotels, and performance venues. The Diriyah Gate Development Authority is managing the physical development, while STA integrates Diriyah into its destination marketing as a must-visit complement to Riyadh’s modern attractions.

Leisure and Entertainment Tourism. The explosion of entertainment options in Saudi Arabia — from live concerts and music festivals to theme parks and sporting events — has created a new leisure tourism segment that barely existed five years ago. The MDL Beast electronic music festival, the Riyadh Season entertainment program, Formula E racing, professional boxing events featuring world champions, and the Saudi Pro League’s recruitment of global football stars have collectively generated enormous international media coverage and attracted millions of visitors.

STA promotes Saudi Arabia’s entertainment offerings through digital marketing campaigns, social media influencer partnerships, and strategic sponsorship deals. The authority works closely with the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), which regulates and promotes the entertainment sector, and with PIF subsidiaries like Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN) that are building permanent entertainment destinations across the country.

Nature and Adventure Tourism. Saudi Arabia’s diverse geography — including Red Sea coastline, mountain ranges, volcanic formations, and desert landscapes — supports a growing adventure tourism segment that includes diving, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and wildlife observation. The Asir Mountains in the southwest offer cooler temperatures and lush vegetation that contrast dramatically with the desert stereotype, while the Red Sea coast provides world-class diving and snorkeling opportunities.

STA’s nature tourism strategy is closely linked to the development of Red Sea Global’s luxury resort destinations and NEOM’s planned eco-tourism experiences. These projects aim to establish Saudi Arabia as a premium nature tourism destination competitive with established markets like the Maldives, Costa Rica, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Business and MICE Tourism. The relocation of regional corporate headquarters to Riyadh, combined with the development of world-class convention and exhibition facilities, is creating a rapidly growing business tourism segment. STA promotes Riyadh as a regional meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) destination, leveraging the city’s new infrastructure, hotel supply, and airline connectivity.

Expo 2030 will be the ultimate MICE event, and STA’s preparations for the Expo include developing marketing campaigns, visitor services, and hospitality training programs designed to ensure that the 40+ million expected Expo visitors have a positive experience that encourages repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth.

Visa Reforms and Accessibility

STA has been a driving force behind the Kingdom’s dramatic liberalization of visa policies. The introduction of the e-visa in September 2019 — which allows citizens of 49 countries to obtain a one-year, multiple-entry tourist visa online within minutes — was a watershed moment that signaled Saudi Arabia’s genuine commitment to welcoming international visitors.

Subsequent visa reforms have further expanded accessibility. The transit visa program allows passengers connecting through Saudi airports to enter the country for up to 96 hours, encouraging stopover tourism. The Umrah visa expansion allows religious visitors to travel freely throughout the Kingdom. The GCC unified visa proposal, if implemented, would allow visitors to Saudi Arabia to also visit other Gulf states on a single visa, creating multi-country itinerary opportunities.

STA has also worked with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to expand airline connectivity to Saudi Arabia. The establishment of Riyadh Air, a new national carrier backed by PIF, and the expansion of Saudia (the existing flag carrier) are increasing seat capacity on routes connecting Saudi Arabia to key source markets in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Digital Marketing and Brand Building

STA has invested heavily in digital marketing, leveraging social media platforms, search engine marketing, programmatic advertising, and influencer partnerships to build awareness and drive bookings. The authority’s “Saudi, Welcome to Arabia” campaign, launched in 2020, represented the Kingdom’s first major international tourism advertising effort and featured stunning visual content showcasing the country’s landscape, heritage, and modern attractions.

The campaign has evolved through multiple phases, each targeting different markets and segments with tailored messaging. European campaigns emphasize cultural heritage and luxury experiences. Asian campaigns highlight the religious significance and cultural connection. North American campaigns focus on adventure, entertainment, and the novelty factor of visiting a destination that has only recently opened to tourists.

STA’s digital platforms — including the Visit Saudi website and mobile application — provide comprehensive trip planning tools, accommodation booking, experience reservation, and real-time event calendars. The authority has also invested in data analytics capabilities that track visitor flows, spending patterns, sentiment indicators, and conversion metrics to optimize marketing spend and product development.

Hospitality Infrastructure Development

One of STA’s most critical challenges is ensuring that Saudi Arabia has sufficient hospitality infrastructure to accommodate targeted visitor volumes. The Kingdom currently has approximately 400,000 hotel rooms — a figure that needs to roughly double by 2030 to support the 150 million annual visit target.

STA coordinates with the Ministry of Tourism, PIF subsidiaries, and private sector developers to accelerate hotel development. Major international hotel brands — Marriott, Hilton, Accor, IHG, Hyatt, Aman, and Four Seasons — are all expanding aggressively in Saudi Arabia, with hundreds of properties in various stages of development. The pipeline includes luxury resorts along the Red Sea coast, business hotels in Riyadh’s corporate districts, boutique properties in heritage areas, and mid-scale accommodation in secondary cities.

Beyond traditional hotels, STA promotes alternative accommodation options including serviced apartments, vacation rentals, glamping experiences, and eco-lodges. The authority has worked with platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to onboard Saudi properties and has developed regulations that balance the growth of alternative accommodation with consumer protection and quality standards.

Workforce Development

The tourism and hospitality sector requires a workforce with specialized skills — language proficiency, customer service orientation, cultural sensitivity, and technical competencies — that are in short supply in Saudi Arabia. STA’s workforce development program aims to train 100,000 Saudi nationals for tourism and hospitality careers by 2030.

Training initiatives include partnerships with international hospitality schools (including Glion and Les Roches), vocational training programs operated through the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), on-the-job training programs with international hotel operators, and digital skills training for tourism technology roles. STA also works with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to create Saudization pathways that gradually increase the proportion of Saudi nationals in tourism and hospitality roles.

The workforce challenge is particularly acute in customer-facing roles where language skills, cultural competence, and service orientation are critical to visitor satisfaction. STA has invested in language training programs (English, Mandarin, French, and Spanish) and customer service certification programs that equip Saudi workers with the skills needed to deliver world-class hospitality.

Tourism Statistics and Performance

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has shown dramatic growth since the launch of the tourist visa program. International tourist arrivals grew from near-zero leisure visitors in 2018 to approximately 27 million in 2023, 30 million in 2024, and an estimated 35 million in 2025. These figures include religious visitors but exclude same-day border crossings and transit passengers.

Tourism revenue has grown correspondingly, from approximately $28 billion in 2019 to an estimated $55 billion in 2025. The sector’s contribution to GDP has increased from roughly 3 percent to approximately 6 percent, reflecting both the growth in visitor numbers and the development of higher-value tourism products and experiences.

Average length of stay for international visitors has increased from approximately 4 days in 2019 to approximately 7 days in 2025, driven by the development of multi-destination itineraries, entertainment events, and the expansion of visa validity periods. Per-visitor spending has also increased, particularly in the luxury and premium segments where Red Sea Global, AlUla, and Riyadh Season events command premium pricing.

Domestic tourism has also grown significantly, driven by the development of entertainment options, the improvement of domestic air connectivity, and government policies that encourage Saudi families to vacation within the Kingdom rather than traveling abroad. STA estimates that domestic tourism spending reached approximately $30 billion in 2025, representing a significant shift in consumer behavior.

Challenges and Risks

STA faces several significant challenges in achieving its 2030 targets.

Perception Gap. Despite progress in shifting international perceptions, Saudi Arabia continues to face skepticism from potential visitors concerned about human rights issues, social restrictions, and safety. STA’s marketing efforts must contend with negative media coverage and advocacy campaigns that discourage tourism to the Kingdom.

Infrastructure Gaps. The pace of hotel construction, transportation development, and attraction creation may not match the pace of demand growth, creating bottlenecks that frustrate visitors and damage the brand. The Expo 2030 preparation period is particularly critical, as any infrastructure shortfalls will be visible to a global audience.

Service Quality. Delivering consistently high-quality service across thousands of tourism touchpoints requires training, supervision, and quality assurance systems that are still being developed. Negative visitor experiences — inefficient visa processing, poor hotel service, inadequate signage, language barriers — can undo millions of dollars in marketing investment.

Climate. Saudi Arabia’s extreme summer temperatures limit the viable tourism season to approximately eight months (October through May), creating seasonality challenges that constrain annual capacity utilization and revenue potential.

Competition. Saudi Arabia competes for visitors with established Gulf destinations (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman), Mediterranean destinations (Turkey, Greece, Egypt), and emerging competitors across Asia and Africa. The global tourism market is intensely competitive, and sustained marketing investment and product innovation are required to maintain market share.

The Expo 2030 Opportunity

Expo 2030 represents both STA’s greatest challenge and its greatest opportunity. The event is expected to attract 40 million visits over its six-month duration, generating unprecedented international attention and providing a platform to showcase Saudi Arabia’s transformation to a global audience.

STA’s Expo strategy extends beyond the event itself. The authority is developing pre-Expo campaigns to build anticipation and awareness, in-event marketing to encourage visitors to explore beyond the Expo campus, and post-Expo campaigns to convert Expo visitors into repeat tourists. The authority estimates that a positive Expo experience could generate an additional 10-15 million annual international visits in the years following the event, as word-of-mouth and social media sharing amplify the destination’s profile.

The Saudi Tourism Authority is, in many ways, the public face of Saudi Arabia’s transformation. While PIF provides the capital and RCRC builds the infrastructure, STA is responsible for convincing the world to come and see what has been built. The authority’s success will be measured not just in visitor numbers and revenue figures but in the fundamental shift in global perception that the Saudi tourism strategy requires. The journey from a closed, conservative kingdom to a welcoming global destination is one of the most remarkable repositioning stories in modern history, and STA is writing its most important chapters right now.