Naperville, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/07/2013 -- According to the World Travel and Tourism Council in 2011, the direct contribution of Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector to the nation’s GDP was 2.3%. During the review period (2007–2011), the total number of domestic trips taken by residents decreased from 28.5 million in 2007 to 23.6 million in 2011, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -4.6%. While outbound trips increased at a review-period CAGR of 16%, inbound tourism registered decline and posted a CAGR of 0.8%. Despite a decline in both domestic and inbound tourism in 2011, expenditure increased as citizens sought international destinations for leisure and entertainment.

Scope
This report provides an extensive analysis related to tourism demands and flows in Saudi Arabia:
- It details historic values for the Saudi Arabian travel and tourism industry for 2007–2011, along with forecast figures for 2012–2016
- It provides comprehensive analysis of travel and tourism demand factors with values for both the 2007–2011 review period and the 2012–2016 forecast period
- The report makes a detailed analysis and projection of domestic, inbound and outbound tourist flows in Saudi Arabia
- It provides employment and salary trends for various categories of the travel and tourism industry
- It provides comprehensive analysis of the airline, hotel, car rental and travel intermediaries industries with values for both the 2007–2011 review period and the 2012–2016 forecast period

Reasons to Buy
- Take strategic business decisions using historic and forecast market data related to the Saudi Arabian travel and tourism industry
- Understand the demand-side dynamics within the Saudi Arabian travel and tourism industry, along with key market trends and growth opportunities
- Identify the spending patterns of domestic, inbound and outbound tourists by individual categories
- Analyze key employment and compensation data related to the travel and tourism industry in Saudi Arabia

Key Highlights
- According to the World Travel and Tourism Council in 2011, the direct contribution of Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector to the nation’s GDP was 2.3%.
- During the review period (2007–2011), the total number of domestic trips taken by residents decreased from 28.5 million in 2007 to 23.6 million in 2011, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -4.6%. While outbound trips increased at a review-period CAGR of 16%, inbound tourism registered decline and posted a CAGR of 0.8%.
- Inbound trips declined from 11.5 million in 2007 to 11.1 million in 2011, at a CAGR of 0.8%. Traveling for business purposes is common in Saudi Arabia owing to its position as one of the world’s largest oil producing countries, however, uncertain global economic conditions have adversely impacted this practice. International arrivals for business purposes stood at 2.7 million in 2011 compared to 1.9 million arrivals for leisure purposes.
- The presence of two of the Islamic holy sites, Mecca and Medina, means that a large number of pilgrims from around the world annually visit Saudi Arabia to perform the rituals of Hajj and Umrah. Domestic tourism volumes are also driven by religious tourism with Mecca accounting for 43.9% of domestic trips in 2011. Religious tourism is therefore the backbone of the travel and tourism sector in Saudi Arabia and its leading revenue generator.
- During the review period the majority of inbound tourists were from neighboring nations such as Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. Although the number of inbound tourists from the Middle East increased at a CAGR of 7.4% during the review period, the trend is expected to decelerate over the forecast period (2011?2016) with inbound tourist volumes from the Middle East posting a CAGR of 2.9%. Efficient transportation facilities and visa-free movement for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member state nationals, ensures the ease of travel within the region.
- King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) is the busiest airport in Saudi Arabia. It is also the second-busiest airport in the Persian Gulf based on passenger traffic volumes. A total of 17.9 million passengers were handled at the airport in 2010. Saudi Arabia Airlines (Saudia) is the flag-carrier airline in Saudi Arabia.
- The performance of Saudi Arabia’s car rental market fluctuated during the review period and registered negative growth. This was mainly due to a decrease in the volume of domestic inbound tourists. The value of the car rental market reached SAR1.67 billion (US$445.8 million) in 2011 registering a review period CAGR of -0.02%.
- The travel intermediaries industry in Saudi Arabia is expanding rapidly, due to the country’s growing economy and rising tourism levels. It registered a CAGR of 11.45% during the review period.

Companies Mentioned

Saudi Arabian Airlines Nasair Company LCC Qatar Airways Etihad Airways EgyptAir Saudi Arabia InterContinental Hotels Saudi Arabia Al Faisaliah Hotel Hilton Hotels Saudi Arabia Starwood Hotels and Resorts Saudi Arabia Accor KSA United International Transportation Co AVIS Hala Rent a Car Hertz Car Rental Saudi Arabia Europcar Saudi Arabia SIXT-KSA Al Tayyar Travel Group Dnata-Saudi Kanoo Travel Saudi Arabia Elaf Group, Inc. Zahid Travel Group

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