Spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Spending by international visitors while visiting a country was 46.34 billion current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia, 2003–2024
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia stood at 46.34 billion current US$. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.4% on the previous year and up 400.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia peaked at 46.34 billion current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.42 billion current US$, in 2003.
That places Saudi Arabia 11th out of 203 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3.42 billion current US$ | — |
| 2007 | 6.91 billion current US$ | +102.1% |
| 2008 | 6.78 billion current US$ | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 6.74 billion current US$ | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 7.54 billion current US$ | +11.7% |
| 2011 | 9.32 billion current US$ | +23.6% |
| 2012 | 8.40 billion current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2013 | 8.69 billion current US$ | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 9.26 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 11.18 billion current US$ | +20.7% |
| 2016 | 13.44 billion current US$ | +20.2% |
| 2017 | 15.02 billion current US$ | +11.8% |
| 2018 | 16.97 billion current US$ | +13.0% |
| 2019 | 19.85 billion current US$ | +16.9% |
| 2020 | 4.65 billion current US$ | -76.6% |
| 2021 | 4.64 billion current US$ | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 28.25 billion current US$ | +508.8% |
| 2023 | 40.87 billion current US$ | +44.7% |
| 2024 | 46.34 billion current US$ | +13.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 46.34 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.08 billion current US$, 7.6× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 46.34 billion current US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.70 billion current US$, 12.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +508.8% | 4.64 billion current US$ | 28.25 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.96 billion current US$ | 3.42 billion current US$ | 6.91 billion current US$ | 4 |
| 2010s | 11.97 billion current US$ | 7.54 billion current US$ | 19.85 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.95 billion current US$ | 4.64 billion current US$ | 46.34 billion current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia?
- Spending by international visitors while visiting a country in Saudi Arabia was 46.34 billion current US$ in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spending by international visitors while visiting a country recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.34 billion current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest spending by international visitors while visiting a country recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.42 billion current US$ in 2003.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for spending by international visitors while visiting a country?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 11th out of 203 countries with data for 2024.
- Is spending by international visitors while visiting a country rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 400.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Spending by international visitors while visiting a country. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Money received by the destination country from foreign visitors, including spending on accommodation, food, local transport, entertainment, shopping, and fares paid to the country’s own airlines. The data is expressed in current US dollars and is not adjusted for inflation or differences in living costs between countries.