Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

India sees surge in tourist bookings for Saudi Arabia

India sees surge in tourist bookings for Saudi Arabia

India’s travel industry has observed a jump in the number of tourists going to Saudi Arabia after the Kingdom’s recent promotional campaigns to attract 2 million Indian visitors by the year’s end.
In the past two years, India has emerged as Saudi Arabia’s key tourism source market.

The Saudi Tourism Authority expects it to become the largest one in the next few years.

Throughout February, the STA held a series of events across India, showcasing the Kingdom’s historical sights and futuristic projects. It also signed a partnership agreement with the Indian Premier League — the world’s most-watched T20 cricket franchise — to tap into a strong sports fanbase for promotion.

The efforts have already yielded results, according to data from MakeMyTrip, the largest Indian online travel company.

“The search indices for Saudi Arabia reflect an upward trend, growing by 20 percent quarter-on-quarter during the January-March 2023 quarter compared to October-December 2022,” Raj Rishi Singh, the company’s chief business officer, told Arab News.

“The recent campaigns have started to deliver the desired impact.”

Travelers came mostly from India’s metropolitan areas such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and other large cities, and their top three destinations in the Kingdom were Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam.

To further increase the numbers, Saudi tourism officials are concentrating their efforts on building relations with Indian industry stakeholders and are investing in marketing and branding campaigns that specifically target the Indian market.

“Our aim is to attract over 2 million visits from Indian tourists by the end of this year, and we plan to utilize the popularity of Bollywood, football, and cricket icons to draw visitors to Saudi Arabia,” Alhasan Al-Dabbagh, the STA’s chief for Asia Pacific, told Arab News.

“With immense potential, we hope to see India become a leading source market by 2030. This will play a vital role in achieving the goal of attracting 100 million global visits by the same year.”

The Travel Agents Association of India, which, with 2,500 members, is one of the largest industry groups in the country, has signed a cooperation agreement with the STA to support the goal.

TAAI President Jyoti Mayal said that with heavy investment in tourism infrastructure and with its flagship initiatives such as the Red Sea Project, NEOM, Qiddiya, the Kingdom has created space for all kinds of visitors, from leisure and family tourists to business and conference ones.

“Saudi branding is now visible all over India, from cricket grounds to social media. All this is creating huge interest to explore the untraveled destination,” Mayal told Arab News.

“The emphasis is on promoting and capitalizing on its extensive historic and geological attractions and also showcasing technology and modernization.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
×