Riyadh: As temperatures soar in the Kingdom during the summer, Saudi travelers are heading abroad in record numbers, not only to traditional destinations, but also to emerging tourism destinations that offer cooler weather, cultural depth, and affordability. New data from Wego, the Middle East’s largest online travel marketplace, reveals shifts in travel patterns for summer 2025, marked by a sharp rise in solo travel and a growing demand for luxury accommodation.
Familiar favorite destinations Still Lead
According to Wego, Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Türkiye remain the top-searched destinations among Saudi travelers this summer. While these traditional markets continue to perform well, Pakistan stands out with a 4.78% year-on-year surge in interest, despite a 21.29% rise in airfares, a trend attributed to strong cultural and family connections.
Europe and Asia Maintain Their Appeal
European countries like Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Italy saw moderate increases in search activity (around 8%), thanks to their cooler climate, easier visa procedures, and diverse entertainment and cultural offerings. Asian destinations such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines continue to attract Saudi tourists with their natural beauty, rich traditions, and affordable prices.
New Destinations Take Center Stage
In a notable shift, Vietnam has emerged as one of the fastest-growing travel options, registering a staggering 322.43% increase in searches compared to last year. Industry experts point to the launch of luxury halal-compliant resorts and a 43.06% drop in average airfare prices from Saudi Arabia as key factors behind this trend.
Armenia is also drawing increased interest from Saudi travelers, with a 142.68% jump in search volume following the government’s recent decision to waive visa requirements for Saudi citizens starting July 2025.
A Word from the Industry
"We are witnessing a clear shift among Saudi travelers toward discovering destinations that offer deeper cultural and experiential value," said Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego. "Summer 2025 reflects this transformation in travel behavior, where the focus is not just on the destination itself, but on the richness of the journey."
"The rise in interest for Vietnam and Armenia underscores the growing demand for diverse, value-driven travel experiences. At Wego, we aim to empower travelers with data and insights that help them make confident, personalized choices."
Solo Travel Takes the Lead
Wego’s data also highlights a generational shift in how Saudis travel. Solo travelers now account for 78.82% of bookings, a significant majority driven by youth seeking personal exploration, study, or business opportunities. Family and couple trips remain stable at 11.43% and 5.83%, respectively.
Premium Travel Gains Ground
Luxury travel continues to dominate, with five-star hotels making up 40.92% of bookings and four-star hotels at 32.22%. Full-service hotels lead the way, followed by resorts and serviced apartments, reflecting a strong preference for comfort and experience over mere convenience.
Tech-Savvy and Experience-Hungry
Data points to a new era of Saudi tourism, one that is digital-first, highly personalized, and driven by unique experiences. Visa flexibility, value for money, and access to authentic cultural offerings are key influencers for this generation of travelers.
As the Kingdom undergoes rapid transformation under Vision 2030, its citizens have become sophisticated global tourists, redefining what it means to explore the world.
About Wego
Wego is the number 1 travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
It provides award-winning travel search websites and top-ranked mobile apps for travelers living in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions. Wego harnesses powerful yet simple to use technology that automates the process of searching and comparing results from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agency websites.
Wego presents an unbiased comparison of all travel products and prices offered in the marketplace by merchants, both local and global, and enables shoppers to quickly find the best deal and place to book whether it is from an airline or hotel directly or with a third-party aggregator website.
The company was founded in 2005 and is dual headquartered in Dubai and Singapore with regional operations in Bangalore, Riyadh, Cairo, Lahore, and Kuala Lumpur.
