Demand for domestic travel stays strong in Saudi

Demand for domestic travel stays strong in Saudi

The demand for domestic travel in Saudi Arabia remains very strong, even despite the full resumption of international travel, according to a report released at Arabian Travel Market by top Saudi travel company Almosafer.

In the year to date, domestic bookings have accounted for 56% of total bookings, up from 47% for the same period pre-pandemic in 2019. On the domestic side, all-time favourite domestic destinations Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah and Abha continue to dominate, whilst trending destinations for trips within KSA include AlUla, Taif and Najran.

In terms of booking channels, the data shows that 89% of total bookings are made online compared to 11% made offline, illustrating the seamless user experience offered by Almosafer’s omnichannel touchpoints, but also the need for advisory through WhatsApp, call centre or via retail branches for more complex itineraries.

This is especially true for domestic bookings, where almost half (49%) of all bookings are placed via retail channels, indicating that Saudi travellers are seeking travel advisory services for leisure trips in their own country.

The report shows that the top international destinations for Saudi travellers include Dubai, Cairo, London, Istanbul and Doha. Since the resumption of travel to Türkiye in the summer of 2022, the destination has