The Middle East and Africa are experiencing a boost in international tourism, with Saudi Arabia leading the way with its transformation plan. In the first six months of 2024, Saudi Arabia welcomed a total of 60 million international and domestic tourists, contributing $38.1 billion in tourism expenditure. The kingdom aims to attract 150 million tourists by the end of the decade, with 70 million coming from overseas, with the goal of making tourism its second-largest industry behind oil.
Dubai also continues to see growth in tourism, with 9.31 million international overnight visitors recorded from January to June 2024, a 9% increase from the same period in 2023. Visitor statistics breakdown shows a diverse range of visitors from different regions, with significant contributions from Western Europe, South Asia, CIS and Eastern Europe, and North-East and South-East Asia. Dubai remains a popular destination for travelers from around the world.
Qatar has seen a 28% increase in international tourists in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Saudi Arabia remains the top contributor to international arrivals, followed by India, Bahrain, the UK, Kuwait, Oman, Germany, the USA, UAE, and Italy. In Egypt, tourism numbers have surpassed previous records, with 7.069 million tourists visiting in the first half of 2024. The country aims to attract 30 million tourists by 2028, with revenue and tourist nights continuing to increase.
The Middle East continues to see a surge in hotel construction, with 607 hotels currently under construction in the region. Saudi Arabia leads the way in hotel projects, with 320 projects and 79,756 rooms in the pipeline. Egypt is also experiencing an all-time high in hotel construction, with 107 projects and 26,185 rooms being built. The UAE, Oman, and Qatar also have significant hotel construction projects, with these five countries representing the majority of hotel projects in the region.
City-wise, Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Cairo in Egypt, Doha in Qatar, and Makkah in Saudi Arabia are the leading cities in hotel construction. Riyadh has 89 projects and 17,784 rooms, while Jeddah has 58 projects and 12,248 rooms. Cairo, Doha, and Makkah also have significant hotel construction projects underway. Looking ahead, the region is expected to see an increase in hotel openings, with 35 new hotels and 6,308 rooms opening in the first half of 2024, and projections for 66 new hotels, 13,723 rooms by year-end and forecasts for 2025 and 2026 showing further growth in hotel openings.
