International visitors to Saudi Arabia are staying longer, spending more and increasingly turning to artificial intelligence and digital payment tools throughout their travel journey, according to Visa’s Global Travel Intentions Study.
The study, conducted between November 2025 and February 2026
across 40 markets, highlights changing travel behaviours and the growing
economic contribution of inbound tourism to the Kingdom.
AI is emerging as an increasingly important tool during the
pre-trip planning stage.
Half of travellers surveyed said they used AI to find travel
inspiration, while 48% used it for reviews and recommendations.
Another 45% used AI to search for flights and accommodation,
and 36% relied on it to plan itineraries.
Despite the growing role of AI, traditional sources remain
influential.
Friends, family and fellow travellers were the most commonly
used source of travel recommendations at 46%, followed by travel agents at 41%,
social media at 39% and search engines at 38%.
The study also found that visitors are drawn to Saudi Arabia
for a broad range of reasons, including religious travel for Hajj and Umrah,
leisure, visiting friends and relatives, and shopping.
Shopping emerged as a major part of the visitor experience,
with 75% of respondents saying they shopped during their stay.
This included 43% who visited local markets and 37% who
visited department stores or malls.
Meanwhile, 39% participated in experiences and tours and 24%
visited theme parks.
Family travel is also significant, with 75% of visitors
travelling with family. Safety was another consideration, with 28% citing a
safe and secure destination as a motivation for visiting the Kingdom.
Payment habits are evolving alongside travel behaviour.
Credit and debit cards were the leading payment methods used
by visitors, while mobile wallets are also gaining traction.
Cash continues to play a role, with 42% of visitors carrying
cash, mainly for emergencies and smaller purchases.
Cash accounted for 23% of the main payment method share at
destinations.
The average trip spend among surveyed visitors reached SAR
10,405 ($2774), with 54% of spending pre-booked and 46% taking place during the
trip.
Accommodation accounted for 19% of spending, followed by
transportation at 18%, food and beverages at 17%, and experiences at 15%.
Spending varied significantly by source market.
US visitors recorded the highest average trip expenditure at SAR 21,530, followed by visitors from the UAE at SAR 14,046 and the UK at SAR 10,558. -TradeArabia News Service
