THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY: TRAVEL EXPERIENCES •
Tanomah’s trails, explore the stone towers of Rijal Almaa, visit farms and traditional bazaars, meet members of the Qahtani tribes and experience Asiri food and hospitality. The kingdom’s deserts provide an equally compelling canvas, from sunset hikes at the Edge of the World to wilderness camps in the Rub’ al Khali. Collectively these experiences reveal a country where visitors can dive among reefs, walk through cloud-covered highlands and sleep beneath desert skies within a single journey. ENTERTAINMENT DRIVES DEMAND Entertainment tourism has become one of Saudi Arabia’s fastest-growing experience sectors, with Qiddiya City at the centre of its ambitions. Located near Riyadh, the destination brings theme parks, gaming, motorsport, live events, sport and culture together within one experiential city. The opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City at the end of 2025, followed by the soft opening of Aquarabia waterpark, marked a major step forward. Qiddiya is also developing a connected digital ecosystem designed to personalise recommendations, bookings and itineraries across the visitor journey. The model is also expanding beyond the capital. SEVEN Abha, a SAR1.3 billion ($347 million) destination near Abha International Airport, was scheduled to open in August, becoming the first operational project in Saudi Entertainment Ventures’ national portfolio. Attractions including Discovery Adventures, a Play-Doh creative centre, Formula E karting, cinema and social spaces have been designed to reflect Abha’s natural and cultural identity. Rather than applying one entertainment formula everywhere, the project shows how large-scale leisure can strengthen regional destinations and encourage visitors to stay longer. This regional expansion complements a fast-growing events calendar. Riyadh Season has developed into a major multi-month draw through concerts, live shows, sport and immersive entertainment zones, while mega events like the Saudi Arabian Formula One Grand Prix and MDLBEAST Soundstorm bring international spectators, performers and fans to the kingdom. SAUDI TRAVELLERS PURSUE PASSIONS Saudi Arabia’s outbound tourism market was estimated at $27.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $47.8 billion by 2032, according to Coherent Market Insights. Yet its influence is defined by more than size: Saudi travellers are increasingly building journeys
around the experiences and interests that matter to them. Marriott Bonvoy’s 2026 Ticket to Travel research found 79% of Saudi respondents had previously taken a “passion pursuit” holiday, with 27% doing so several times a year. Sport and adventure were the strongest motivations, each cited by 52%, followed by music and cultural events at 39%. Premium touches are important too. Eight in 10 Saudi travellers had tried “lux-scaping” – adding a luxury hotel or spa stay to the beginning or end of a wider trip – including 35% during the previous year. Other research points to an increasingly varied definition of experience. Skyscanner’s Saudi travel trends study found 68% of respondents had selected a destination primarily for the hotel, while 69% had considered travelling abroad to meet new people and 38% planned to take a multi- generational holiday. This presents opportunities for the travel trade to enrich resort stays and family travel with specialist sport, adventure, culture, food and social experiences. Technology is helping travellers find and assemble these journeys. Simon-Kucher found 76% of Saudi travellers had used AI- powered travel features, one of the highest rates among the markets surveyed. Toluna reported that 87% use generative AI tools to plan and manage holidays, with 46% using AI assistants to discover activities and 43% for translation. These tools do not replace the experience; they make it easier to uncover, compare and personalise. TURNING DEMAND INTO LASTING VALUE The next competitive frontier is not creating more attractions, but connecting them into journeys that are easy to discover, book and share. Saudi tour operators have the opportunity to package together individual assets into coherent itineraries. Ensuring local businesses, guides and communities participate in the value created will be essential. At the same time, international destinations must present products that tap into Saudi travellers’ passions, family structures and service expectations, rather than relying on generic, one-size-fits-all packages. The kingdom’s two- way travel boom creates a powerful feedback loop. Experiences developed at home raise expectations abroad, while overseas journeys bring new ideas and reference points back into the domestic market. The winners will be those that understand this exchange and deliver experiences distinctive enough to be found by an algorithm, but memorable enough to be recommended by a person.
Left: Admiring the towers of Rijal Almaa in the Asir region Below: Jabal Umm Sinman in the Nafud Desert – UNES- CO-listed for its exceptional role as a record of human and animal life across millennia
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