Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, May 09, 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
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Cultural Development Fund Hosts Third Annual Storytellers Event in Riyadh
Investment Surge in Fintech, Gaming, and Health Care Across MENA Region
Surging Prices for Religious Tourism in Saudi Arabia Amid Ramadan Rush
Middle Eastern Airlines’ Fleet Projected to Surge Above Global Growth Rates
×