International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) was 8.53 billion current US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
International tourism, expenditures for travel items in Saudi Arabia, 2004–2020
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 8.53 billion current US$ for international tourism, expenditures for travel items in 2020.
The figure is down 43.6% on the previous year and down 59.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, expenditures for travel items in Saudi Arabia peaked at 24.12 billion current US$ in 2014 and was at its lowest, 4.43 billion current US$, in 2004.
That places Saudi Arabia 15th out of 191 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 4.43 billion current US$ | — |
| 2005 | 9.09 billion current US$ | +105.2% |
| 2006 | 12.98 billion current US$ | +42.8% |
| 2007 | 20.17 billion current US$ | +55.4% |
| 2008 | 15.13 billion current US$ | -25.0% |
| 2009 | 20.42 billion current US$ | +35.0% |
| 2010 | 21.14 billion current US$ | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 17.27 billion current US$ | -18.3% |
| 2012 | 17.02 billion current US$ | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 17.66 billion current US$ | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 24.12 billion current US$ | +36.6% |
| 2015 | 19.35 billion current US$ | -19.8% |
| 2016 | 16.66 billion current US$ | -13.9% |
| 2017 | 17.55 billion current US$ | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 16.65 billion current US$ | -5.1% |
| 2019 | 15.14 billion current US$ | -9.1% |
| 2020 | 8.53 billion current US$ | -43.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 8.53 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.16 billion current US$, 7.4× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 8.53 billion current US$ is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.07 billion current US$, 7.9× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.70 billion current US$ | 4.43 billion current US$ | 20.42 billion current US$ | 6 |
| 2010s | 18.26 billion current US$ | 15.14 billion current US$ | 24.12 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.53 billion current US$ | 8.53 billion current US$ | 8.53 billion current US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 72.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 122.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 2.2% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 16.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 66.92 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, expenditures for travel items in Saudi Arabia?
- International tourism, expenditures for travel items in Saudi Arabia was 8.53 billion current US$ in 2020, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, expenditures for travel items recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.12 billion current US$ in 2014.
- What is the lowest international tourism, expenditures for travel items recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.43 billion current US$ in 2004.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for international tourism, expenditures for travel items?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 15th out of 191 countries with data for 2020.
- Is international tourism, expenditures for travel items rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism, published as part of International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These may include expenditures by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.