20% Faster room preparation
simply a futuristic extra. It can reduce congestion and help airports handle more passengers through existing infrastructure. 6. PAYMENTS FOLLOW THE TRAVELLER Global take Travel payment is
Saudi take That has obvious value in a tourism economy adding accommodation, attractions and transport capacity at speed. Saudi hotel operators can use AI to plan staffing, control energy use, anticipate maintenance and make better commercial decisions as their businesses grow. The Ministry of Tourism’s new AI Tourism Vision also places operational productivity alongside the visitor experience, investor support and workforce development. Personalisation is moving beyond targeted emails and into the product itself. Amadeus found that 74% of travellers want personalised trips, while its modelling suggests a 150-room midscale hotel could generate an additional $1 million annually by selling six popular stay attributes. These include early or late check-in, room and floor selection, personalised welcome amenities, sleep packages, air-quality options and curated local guides. That turns personalisation from marketing language into measurable hotel revenue. Saudi take The Saudi outbound market is often discussed as though every customer wants the same thing. They do not. Younger independent travellers, multigenerational families, luxury guests and business travellers have different priorities. The same applies inbound. Technology can help visitors find the Saudi experience that suits their interests, budget and available time, while allowing businesses to sell relevant extras without bombarding everyone with the same offer. 4. PERSONALISATION BECOMES A PRODUCT Global take 5. THE AIRPORT JOURNEY LOSES ITS PAPERWORK Global take Biometrics and digital identity are moving steadily into normal airport use. IATA’s 2025 Global Passenger Survey found that half of passengers had used biometric identification somewhere in the airport journey, up from 46% a year earlier. Some 74% would share biometric information if it meant moving through check-in, security, border control and boarding without repeatedly producing a passport or boarding pass. SITA separately found that 79% of passengers are ready to use a digital identity held on their phone or in a travel wallet. Saudi take Acceptance is especially high in the Middle East, where 85% of passengers are willing to use biometric technology, compared with 74% globally. This puts Saudi Arabia in a strong position as it expands aviation capacity and prepares for growing volumes of leisure, business, event and religious travel. Faster processing is not
5.2+ BN Digital wallet users 2026 (60% of population) Juniper Research
50% Less food
becoming more local, mobile and less visible. Credit and debit cards still dominate air travel, but IATA found their share fell to 72% in
waste NYU SPS
2025, while digital-wallet use rose from 20% to 28% in a year. Travellers increasingly expect to use the wallet, bank-transfer service or payment method they already trust at home. For airlines, hotels and booking platforms, offering the wrong options can mean abandoned transactions, higher fees and slower settlement. payment market. The Saudi Central Bank says electronic payments accounted for 85% of retail transactions in 2025, up from 79% the year before, with 14.6 billion electronic transactions processed during the year. International travel businesses targeting Saudi guests therefore need a checkout experience that feels as quick and familiar as the services they use at home. Saudi operators must also accommodate the varied payment preferences of international visitors. Saudi take Saudi Arabia is already a highly digital
80% Want personalised travel experiences 20% Potential price premium Simon-Kucher, Hilton
7. DESTINATIONS START MANAGING IN REAL TIME Global take Destination technology is moving beyond promotion and into daily management. Live data, sensors, digital permits and geospatial tools can help monitor congestion, manage transport, control access and
43% Are avoiding overcrowded destinations Booking.com
direct visitors towards places and times with available capacity. The need is clear. Simon- Kucher found that two-thirds of travellers would avoid a popular destination if they expected it to be overcrowded, while 46% support incentives encouraging visits outside peak periods. Saudi take Saudi Arabia can integrate these systems as new tourism destinations and districts are developed. Its AI Tourism Vision includes tools such as Smart Inspector and Smart Check-In, while Hajj operations already use more than 15,000 AI- powered cameras, satellite analytics, the Roya spatial platform and biometric IDs to manage crowds and permits. Beyond capacity, this data can reveal where visitors go, what they need and how tourism growth affects transport, resources and communities.
350 Airports using biometric processing TravelAI
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