‘The fastest growing destination in the world’: Why European travellers are flocking to Saudi Arabia
As soon as the “best-kept secret” from travellers worldwide, Saudi Arabia is now a must-visit vacation spot for Europeans.
Talking at ITB Berlin 2025, the CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, Fahd Hamidaddin, instructed Euronews Journey that European visits surged by 24 per cent in 2024 and that the nation is quickly turning into a world sports activities hub – internet hosting extra occasions than Las Vegas.
From upcoming premier sporting occasions just like the World Cup 2034 to luxurious journey experiences alongside the Pink Sea shoreline and even desert tenting within the starry-skied desert, Saudi Arabia is assembly a complete host of travellers’ needs, making it a super ‘better of each worlds’ vacation spot for friends who’ve very totally different pursuits.
There are extra European guests in Saudi than wherever else
“Saudi Arabia has been one of the best and the most important secret stored from travellers world wide,” says Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority.
“Final yr we witnessed the very best progress coming from Europe, with 24 per cent progress from Europe alone, out of which 44 per cent had been ladies.
“After we began in 2019, our ambition was to hit 100 million visits by 2030. By the top of 2023, we exceeded 106 million.
“Now, the brand new goal is 150 million, and we’re persevering with to develop in double digits yearly. For the previous 4 years, we have been the fastest-growing vacation spot on this planet.”
From the gorgeous Pink Sea shoreline to huge desert landscapes and world-class sporting occasions, Saudi Arabia provides a novel mix of journey tradition and luxurious.
Listed below are one of the best methods to find the Kingdom in 2025.
From World Cup to Grand Prix: The world’s premier sporting vacation spot
Saudi Arabia has rapidly established itself as a key participant in world sports activities tourism.
World-class athletes Christiano Ronaldo, Tyson Fury and Max Verstappen have all competed on Saudi soil, whereas main sporting occasions draw crowds from across the globe.
In 2034, tens of millions will contact down in Saudi Arabia for the FIFA World Cup, whereas 2025 is already jam-packed with sporting occasions.
In April, the AFC Asian U17 Cup will showcase Asia’s brightest younger soccer stars, whereas motorsports followers can witness Lewis Hamilton kitted out in Ferrari crimson as he takes to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for the Saudi Arabian Method One Grand Prix.
In August, basketball followers can watch the continent’s main basketball-playing nations chase victory on the FIBA Asia Cup, whereas tennis followers can witness the world’s greatest eight tennis gamers on centre court docket at WTA Tour Finals in November.
“With each giant sporting occasion, be it a Method One or the World Cup, you will notice a sequence of cultural occasions,” says Hamidaddin.
“Saudi has been internet hosting extra occasions per week than Vegas had occasions per week, from the Formulation, to boxing, to the World Cup, to tennis, and Dakar [Rally – the off-road endurance event].”
Solar, sand and serenity: Expertise whole luxurious at The Pink Sea
With pristine coastlines, unrivalled marine life and a string of opulent five-star accommodations, the Pink Sea is a 28,000-square-kilometre paradise on Saudi Arabia’s western coast.
Already, two luxurious properties have opened on its shores, together with the Six Senses Southern Dunes, and the St. Regis Pink Sea Resort with overwater villas perching above turquoise waters.
“The Saudi Pink Sea is the most important vertical riviera on this planet,” explains Hamidaddin. “It is a tremendous vacation spot that stretches from the highest of Neom and Sindalah Island right down to the south of the Saudi coast.”
By the top of 2025, the vacation spot will likely be house to 16 resorts, with a complete of fifty deliberate by 2030, in addition to luxurious marinas, golf programs, and residential properties.
Pink Sea International, the vacation spot’s developer, says that accountable growth is on the coronary heart of the venture.75 per cent of the vacation spot’s islands are resulting from be left untouched, whereas the remainder will function on renewable power.
Tenting beneath the celebs within the Saudi desert
About 30 per cent of the land in Saudi Arabia is roofed by desert, and the Kingdom is known for its towering dunes, from the reddish hues of the Advert Dahna Desert to the sprawling expanse of Rub’Al Khali (The Empty Quarter), the world’s largest steady sand desert.
“The good Arabian dunes are a world providing in winter that’s doubtlessly as huge as safari in Africa and snowboarding within the Alps,” says Hamidaddin.
“From sand therapeutic to sand sports activities, excessive journey to stargazing, there’s a lot that may be accomplished, together with witnessing rewilding initiatives by which we’ve launched 21 species to create a brand new animal kingdom.”
Within the historic metropolis of AlUla, you may get pleasure from camel trekking, desert tenting, and stargazing beneath the huge desert sky.
For extra journey, hike by the Pink Sands close to Riyadh or discover the historic Najd area, the place off-road experiences are unparalleled.
For one of many Kingdom’s most high-octane desert points of interest, head to the Fringe of the World, a 1,131-metre cliff throughout the Tuwaik mountain vary, additionally close to Riyadh. Right here, you may climb to eye-watering heights for a number of the most spectacular views within the nation.
