Saudi Arabia’s outbound travel market, currently valued at around $35 billion, could exceed $60 billion by 2030-2034, industry leaders said at WTM Spotlight Riyadh, urging destinations and travel brands to focus on converting traveller interest into bookings.

During a panel titled “The $35BN Opportunity – How and Where to Capture Outbound Demand,” executives highlighted the country’s young population and high travel spending as key drivers of growth. Around 70% of Saudis are under 35, while spending per traveller is estimated at roughly 11 times the global average.

Faisal Alrajhi, Co-Founder and CEO of almatar, said word of mouth and personal recommendations play a major role in shaping destination choices, but successful conversion depends on the wider travel proposition.

“Ultimately, word of mouth is incredibly important. If a friend has been somewhere and had a great experience, that creates the desire to visit the same place. But converting that first traveller into an actual booking requires a 360-degree experience – the right airline capacity, accessible content, experiences and pricing all need to come together.”

Turab Saleem, CEO of Perfetti Hospitality, stressed that hospitality providers must understand the cultural preferences of Saudi families, particularly their demand for privacy and shared family spaces.

“Saudi families are extremely sensitive to privacy, but not in the way many international brands assume. Privacy for them means being together as a family in a shared, comfortable space – which is why they consistently choose suites and bigger units. If you don’t design your product with that in mind, you will miss what truly matters to this market.”

Saleem also identified China as an emerging opportunity, driven by growing business and education links with Saudi Arabia.

“China is already becoming a major market for Saudis for business and education, and my prediction is that it will soon open up as a significant wellness destination as well.”

Other sessions examined destinations gaining traction among Saudi travellers, including Switzerland, Türkiye, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, with visa accessibility, direct air connectivity, cultural familiarity and experiences influencing choices.

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said brands must understand Saudi travellers and build partnerships suited to their increasingly sophisticated expectations.

WTM Spotlight Riyadh also addressed Saudi Arabia’s tourism workforce ambitions, with industry and government leaders discussing education, skills, career pathways and leadership development needed to support Vision 2030.

The three-day event aims to strengthen connections between Saudi and international tourism markets while creating new commercial opportunities as the Kingdom’s travel sector expands. -TradeArabia News Service