Saudi Arabia remains top of trending destinations list with MENA travellers

Recent data unveiled at the Arabian Travel Market conference highlights Saudi Arabia's popularity among travellers from the MENA region

Robert Mason

09 May 24

Saudi Arabia is the second most popular international destination for MENA travellers, according to recent data released this week at the Arabian Travel Market conference taking place in Dubai.

The data was unveiled by popular travel and booking application, WeGo.

Each quarter, WeGo reviews the destinations searched for by its users, and these users search for tens of millions of international destinations. From this data, Saudi Arabia emerges as the second most popular international destination to be searched for on the application, and the destination rankings are determined by analysing flight and hotel data.

The top three international destinations most searched for by MENA travellers are: Egypt (1), Saudi Arabia (2) and India (3). These statistics are consistent with the fact that Egypt and India both serve as significant sources of foreign talent for the Gulf region.

Unsurprisingly, the Kingdom remains a preferred destination for MENA travellers as it renowned for its distinctive cultural experiences, luxury experiences and hospitality options, and diverse attractions. Saudi's enduring allure attracts travellers from around the world seeking enriching experiences, bolstered by the nation's strategic location and rich heritage, it is a top choice for both international and regional travellers.

Interestingly, Saudi Arabia's positioning within the top 3 destinations of choice has continued for several previous quarters, and the Kingdom has remained a top destination choice since the beginning of this data watch in 2014.

The top Middle Eastern destinations popular with MENA travellers are listed below:

When it comes to top European destinations, the Chief Business Officer at WeGo, Mamoun Hmedan, acknowledged that "...the UK retains its position as the preferred European destination for Middle Eastern travellers."

Europe is becoming an increasingly popular destination with MENA travellers as visa processes and visa agreements between GCC countries and European countries become more established.