Religious tourism continues to play a growing role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy, a key pillar of Vision 2030. The Kingdom’s Holy Cities emerged as Ramadan’s top economic performers this year, according to Visa’s Travel Pulse Q1 2025, which revealed a 162 percent surge in tourist spending on Visa cards in Makkah during the Holy Month.
“Beyond their religious significance, Makkah and Madinah are also engines of economic growth,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s regional GM for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
Visitor spend in Madinah rises 64 percent
From February 28 to March 30, Makkah and Madinah significantly outpaced Riyadh and Jeddah, reflecting the Holy Cities’ draw of religious tourism during Ramadan. In Makkah alone, average tourist spending climbed to $449 from $356 during the rest of the year. Madinah followed with a 64 percent increase in tourist spending, said Visa.
Spending patterns continue to reflect Ramadan’s rhythm, with dining contributing 27 percent of total spend by tourists and retail making up 25 percent. Among the other top spending categories was fashion, which contributed 10 percent to the total.
Visa also revealed that spending activity peaked after Iftar, with most visitors heading to malls and restaurants. Notably, the second half of Ramadan saw higher transaction volumes, leading into Eid Al-Fitr.
“For merchants in Saudi Arabia, there’s a real opportunity to reimagine how they engage with religious travelers. By extending hours during peak post-iftar times, embracing digital payments and curating offerings that resonate with GCC and emerging market visitors, they can help turn their journey into a seamless experience, while contributing to the Kingdom’s digital commerce agenda,” added Bailoun.
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UAE visitors rise 51 percent
Visa’s latest report also revealed that 48 percent of all Ramadan visitors came from the GCC, with the UAE leading the charge, marking a 51 percent increase in visitors and a 95 percent increase in spend. Visitors from Qatar rose 12 percent this Ramadan and spent 26 percent more compared to other times during the year.
Tourists from outside the GCC region also contributed to the surge in Saudi Arabia’s religious tourism and spending during Ramadan.
The Kingdom saw a 64 percent increase in visitors from Kazakhstan, a 56 percent rise in South African visitors and a 19 percent increase in Egyptian visitors. These three countries posted the highest increases in traveler numbers this year.
