Tourism contribution to GDP in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Tourism contribution to GDP was 4.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Tourism contribution to GDP in Saudi Arabia, 2008–2023
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, tourism contribution to gdp in Saudi Arabia stood at 4.4%. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of up 26.1% on the previous year and up 89.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tourism contribution to gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 4.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2020.
Saudi Arabia ranks 32nd of 100 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Tourism contribution to GDP in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2.7% | — |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +22.2% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | -9.1% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | -20.0% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -8.3% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.7% | +17.4% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -14.3% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | +65.0% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | -55.6% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | +67.3% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | +28.2% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | +26.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.7% | 3.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 1.6% | 4.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More economy & growth data for Saudi Arabia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2249 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 7,766 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -32.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -32.52 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 5.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0971 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 3,354 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tourism contribution to gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Tourism contribution to gdp in Saudi Arabia was 4.4% in 2023, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tourism contribution to gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest tourism contribution to gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2020.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for tourism contribution to gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 32nd out of 100 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tourism contribution to gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Tourism contribution to GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of a country's GDP that comes directly from tourism, including spending by visitors and the industries that serve them.