A new report on Saudi travel trends released by Almosafer Travel & Tourism Co. reveals a notable shift toward domestic tourism, premium bookings, and digital tools during the first seven months of 2026. Domestic travel accounted for 46% of all bookings on the platform between 1 January and 31 July 2026, marking a 13% increase year-on-year, while domestic room nights rose 44%.
Domestic Destinations Drive Tourism Growth
Religious travel in Makkah and Madinah led overall volume with room nights rising 53%, supported by expanded hotel capacity and improved transport infrastructure. Meanwhile, domestic leisure bookings saw average order values roughly double compared to the previous year. The Red Sea recorded a room night increase exceeding 4,000%, registering the highest average order value globally among Saudi travellers, ahead of Paris and London. Other domestic destinations including Aseer, AlUla, Taif, Jizan, and King Abdullah Economic City also recorded increased demand, alongside core urban centers Riyadh, Jeddah, and AlKhobar.
Expanding International Routes and Flight Patterns
Saudi travellers broadened their international itineraries during 2026 beyond traditional regional hubs. Trending regional destinations included Egypt’s North Coast and Red Sea Coast, as well as Tangier and Marrakesh in Morocco. Outside the MENA region, destinations such as Moscow, Athens, Madrid, and Shanghai joined established staples like London, Paris, Istanbul, and Phuket.
In the aviation sector, low-cost carriers captured 60% of flight segments booked on the platform. Saudi national carriers expanded their share of total flight segments by 8 percentage points to 57%, supported by added routes to European cities including Malaga, Prague, Munich, and Budapest. National carriers accounted for 33% of all international segments flown by users during the period.
Accommodation Preferences and Booking Behaviors
Premium stays remained the top choice for accommodation, with four- and five-star properties representing 74% of total room nights. Stays in the highest average daily rate bracket accounted for 13% of all bookings. Alternative accommodations, such as serviced apartments and holiday homes, expanded by 21% in room nights.
Short booking windows defined domestic trips, with 67% of stay bookings completed within one week of travel. In contrast, international family trips followed a split pattern: international hotel bookings averaged 19 days in advance, while international flight bookings averaged 17 days prior to departure. Across the platform, the average overall booking window stood at 11 days.
Shifting Patterns in Saudi Travel Trends and Technology
Connected trip planning increased significantly, with destination activity bookings surging 464%. Growth was led by Riyadh at 2,061%, Jeddah at 664%, and Makkah at 1,193%, alongside rising visits to entertainment sites such as Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia Qiddiya City. Bookings that combined flights or stays with activities and transfers rose 368%.
Trip protection products recorded a 154% increase in user adoption, with baggage recovery up 474% and trip insurance up 132%. In fintech and payment methods, Buy Now Pay Later services accounted for 29% of bookings, while Apple Pay represented 44% of transactions. In addition, 30% of round-trip itineraries were assembled using two separate one-way tickets on different airlines.
“What this year showed us is the resilience of the Saudi traveller. Despite the geopolitical challenges across parts of the wider region, travel continued – differently, not less. Saudis chose the Kingdom in record numbers and at the top of the market, on the Red Sea, in AlUla, and for religious journeys in Makkah and Madinah, whilst exploring other parts of the Kingdom for leisure trips.”
Muzzammil Ahussain, Chief Executive Officer at Almosafer Travel & Tourism Co.
Digital channels continued to dominate booking activity, with the Almosafer mobile app handling 77% of total volume. Furthermore, 21% of eligible users used native AI search filters, supported by integrations with conversational platforms including ChatGPT and Claude to plan their journeys across Saudi Arabia and international destinations.
