Saudi Domestic Tourism Rises 16% in Q1 2026 as Crisis Fuels Stay-Home Travel Boom

Last updated: May 12, 2026

Saudi Arabia’s domestic tourism sector grew 16% year on year in Q1 2026, according to the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, even as the wider Middle East travel industry reeled from weeks of conflict-driven disruption.

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What’s behind the growth?

The growth was powered largely by religious tourism during Ramadan, which spanned February and March this year.

More than 8.5 million Umrah pilgrims visited the Kingdom during the holy month, a 15% increase over Ramadan 2025.

Consumer spending during Ramadan is estimated to approach 65 billion riyals ($17.3 billion), up 12% year on year.

Of that, around 22 billion riyals went directly to Umrah-related spending: accommodation, transport, shopping, and dining in Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah.

Hotel searches for Makkah rose 20.67% and Madinah rose 25.16% compared to Q1 2025. Central Makkah hotels recorded near-100% occupancy during the last ten days of Ramadan.

How the Middle East Crisis Reshaped Saudi Travel

The growth in domestic tourism came against the backdrop of the worst travel disruption the Gulf has seen in decades.

On 28 February 2026, US and Israeli military operations against Iran triggered retaliatory strikes across the Persian Gulf, leading to airspace closures in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Iran.

International arrivals across the Middle East were projected to fall 11–27% for the year, wiping out a pre-conflict forecast of 13% growth. Over 37,000 flights were cancelled between late February and early March, and the regional tourism industry was losing an estimated €515 million per day.

But while international leisure tourism collapsed, Saudi domestic travel moved in the opposite direction.

Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam airports all remained operational throughout the crisis.
Budget carrier Flyadeal launched new domestic routes on 1 March, and Flynas added a Riyadh–Qaisumah service starting 20 April, a sign that airlines were betting on sustained domestic demand.
Religious tourism proved especially resilient. The Umrah season continued uninterrupted even at the peak of hostilities, with 1.68 million international Umrah pilgrims still arriving despite the disruption, a figure bolstered by strong domestic pilgrim numbers.

What the Ceasefire Means for Saudi Tourism

On 7 April 2026, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, with formal talks set to begin in Islamabad on 10 April. A key condition is Iran’s reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for safe passage.

As of 8 April 2026, the ceasefire is already having a cautious but visible effect on Gulf aviation:

Dubai International Airport is operating at roughly 53% capacity, with Emirates running over 150 daily departures — its highest since the conflict began.
Qatar Airways is operating around 80 daily flights, roughly 30–35% of its normal schedule.

For Saudi Arabia specifically, the outlook is cautiously optimistic. The Kingdom’s airspace remained open throughout the conflict, and its airports never fully shut down, giving it a head start over Gulf neighbours in the recovery.

A visa-free travel agreement with Russia takes effect on 11 May 2026, which could further boost inbound numbers if the ceasefire holds.

Saudi Arabia also recently surpassed its original Vision 2030 target of 100 million annual visitors (achieved in 2023) and has since revised its goal upward to 150 million by 2030.

Whether the two-week ceasefire evolves into a lasting peace remains uncertain.

But the Q1 numbers suggest Saudi Arabia’s domestic tourism engine is running strong enough to absorb shocks and could accelerate quickly if stability returns to the region.

Track flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Madinah on Wego’s flight tracker for the latest schedules and availability.

Sources

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