If you thought you blew up a lot of money during your last vacation, think again. Saudi Arabian tourists are supposedly huge spenders when abroad spending as much as six times the amount of money that western tourists spend. Reportedly, something like 4.5 million tourists from Saudi Arabia take at least one holiday each year and in 2012, Saudi families spent over SR64 billion ($17 billion) on their travels abroad. This makes the gulf nation the second largest family tourism exporter according to information released by Dubai Chamber Of Commerce and Industry. Saudi Arabia is second only to Iran, whose residents spend $18.2 billion on international travel in 2012.
An unrelated study stated that Saudi Arabian tourists also spend the largest amount of money per trip, splashing out close to $7,000 per vacation. And you thought Vegas was expensive!
Saudi Arabia is now anxious for its residents to spend their wealth within the country, with Khalid Al-Dughaim, secretary general for the Saudi Commission for Tourism, saying that the kingdom has not realized the full economic potential for tourism as the industry is still relatively new compared to other Gulf and Arabian countries, and does not receive full financial support.
He considers Dubai as a great model for the development of the tourism sector and plans to follow in the popular destination’s footsteps.
[Via – Daily-Mail]
