Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
78.8pc of Saudi travellers go solo this summer: Wego
Wego, the Middle East's online travel marketplace, has revealed a shift in travel patterns for summer 2025, highlighting a sharp rise in solo travel and a growing demand for luxury accommodations among Saudi travellers.
Wego, the Middle East's online travel marketplace, has revealed a shift in travel patterns for summer 2025, highlighting a sharp rise in solo travel and a growing demand for luxury accommodations among Saudi travellers.
Single travellers now account for 78.82% of bookings, driven by youth seeking personal exploration, study, or business opportunities.
Luxury travel continues to dominate, with five-star hotels making up 40.92% of bookings and four-star hotels at 32.22%. The data points to a new era of Saudi tourism, driven by visa flexibility, value for money, and access to authentic cultural offerings.
Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Türkiye remain the top-searched destinations among Saudi travellers, with Pakistan showing a 4.78% year-on-year surge in interest despite a 21.29% rise in airfares.
European countries like Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Italy saw moderate increases in search activity, while Asian destinations like Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines continue to attract tourists with their natural beauty, rich traditions, and affordable prices.
Vietnam has emerged as one of the fastest-growing travel options, with a 322.43% increase in searches compared to last year.
Industry experts attribute this trend to the launch of luxury halal-compliant resorts and a 43.06% drop in average airfare prices from Saudi Arabia.
Armenia is also drawing increased interest from Saudi travellers, with a 142.68% jump in search volume following the government's recent decision to waive visa requirements for Saudi citizens starting July 2025.
"We are witnessing a clear shift among Saudi travellers 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 travellers with data and insights that help them make confident, personalised choices." -TradeArabia News Service