Saudis spent SAR 137 bln on tourism in 9M 2016

Saudis have spent a total of SAR 137 billion on outbound and domestic tourism in the first nine months of 2016, a recent report from the kingdom's Tourism Information and Research Center (MAS) showed.

Saudi tourists’ spending abroad jumped 24 percent year-on-year (YoY) to SAR 79 billion in the same period.

The number of outbound tourists grew by 3 percent YoY to 17.2 million.

Spending on domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia increased to SAR 58.3 billion in the first nine months of the year, a 59 percent rise compared to SAR 37 billion in the same period last year.

The number of domestic tourists rose 15 percent YoY to 42.1 million. Spending on domestic tourism and domestic tourists are projected to hit SAR 82.6 billion and 66.2 million, respectively by 2020.

Spending by foreign tourists in the kingdom grew by 1 percent YoY to SAR 66.8 billion in the nine-month period.

The number of foreign tourists rose 1 percent YoY to 14.7 million, the report added.

The kingdom is forecast to receive 24.1 million tourists by 2020, with forecast spending of SAR 133.8 billion.