WTM Spotlight Riyadh highlights new strategies to develop Saudi outbound demand

Destination and travel brands seeking a greater share of Saudi Arabia’s high-value outbound market need to look beyond awareness and focus on the factors that ultimately convert traveller interest into bookings, according to industry leaders speaking at WTM Spotlight Riyadh.

During the panel discussion, The $35BN Opportunity – How and Where to Capture Outbound Demand, the participants outlined that although the Saudi outbound market is valued at approximately US$35 billion today, it could reach more than $60 billion by 2030–2034, putting it on par with the GDP of several smaller economies.

Driven by a young population – 70% of Saudis are under 35 – and a spend per traveller estimated at around eleven times the global average, Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming a priority growth engine for destinations, airlines and hospitality brands worldwide.

Featuring Turab Saleem, Chief Executive Officer, Perfetti Hospitality, and Faisal Alrajhi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of almatar, the Travel Tech partner of WTM Spotlight Riyadh, the session explored the factors influencing Saudi booking decisions and the emerging destinations gaining traction among travellers.

Alrajhi highlighted word of mouth and personal recommendations as particularly important influences, but stressed that converting that initial interest requires the wider travel proposition to work together, from airline capacity and accessible content to experiences and pricing.

Speaking during the session, Alrajhi said: “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.”

The discussion also highlighted how rapidly Saudi outbound preferences can evolve, with new destinations gaining prominence from one year to the next. For destinations and hospitality businesses, understanding the cultural and practical requirements behind those choices is becoming increasingly important.

Saleem pointed to privacy and family space as an example of where international hospitality brands need to understand what Saudi travellers actually expect from a product rather than relying on assumptions about the market.

He said: “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.”

Saudi travellers are increasingly recognised as one of the world’s most influential outbound segments, combining strong spending power with a preference for premium, personalised and experience-led travel. Looking at emerging outbound opportunities, Saleem also identified China as a market with significant future potential. More Saudi students are experiencing the country through education, while expanding business links and greater familiarity could broaden its appeal for other travel segments.

Saleem added: “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.”

The final day of WTM Spotlight Riyadh, which takes place today, Thursday 10 September, will continue this focus on the next phase of tourism growth, with conference sessions examining the people, skills and leadership required to sustain the Kingdom’s tourism ambitions.

Among the programme highlights, Rob Arrow, Senior Director, Travel, Almosafer Travel & Tourism Co., examined which destinations are gaining traction with Saudi travellers as outbound preferences continue to evolve. The session, Which Destinations Are Winning?, explored growing interest in destinations including Switzerland, Türkiye, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and considered how factors such as visa convenience, direct air connectivity, cultural accessibility and experience-led travel are influencing destinations choice.

Danielle Curtis, Regional Portfolio Director – UAE, RX, said: “Saudi Arabia’s outbound travel market represents an exceptional opportunity for the global tourism industry, but capturing that opportunity requires more than recognising the spending power of Saudi travellers. Destinations and travel brands need to understand what this market values, build the right partnerships and ensure their products, positioning and in-market strategies reflect the expectations of an increasingly sophisticated and globally connected traveller.”

Elsewhere, the One Million Tourism Careers – Delivering Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Vision Beyond 2030, held in partnership with Chemonics International, brought together senior representatives from the King Salman Gate Project, Red Sea Global, King Saud University, Qiddiya and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism, alongside Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism. They examined education, career pathways, specialist skills and leadership development as Saudi Arabia’s visitor economy grows in scale and sophistication.

Across the three-day programme, WTM Spotlight Riyadh has been designed to connect the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world, creating a focused platform where local and international travel communities can build relationships, exchange knowledge and identify meaningful commercial opportunities that support the broader ambitions of Vision 2030.

WTM Spotlight Riyadh concludes today, Thursday, 10 September.