29.3M international tourists in 2025, up 67% since 2019, highest growth of any OECD member; SR176.6bn foreign spend, SR127.1bn domestic; 5.2% of GDP.
Domestic spend is close behind foreign and growing faster (10%), the Saudi family is the customer you can actually reach this year.
Explore more signals
SeaPay sold for SAR 35 million
Arab Sea Information System signed an MoU with PayTabs Group to sell its entire stake in its wholly owned payments subsidiary, Arab Sea Financial Co. (SeaPay), for SAR 35 million. The MoU is valid for six months, and the deal still needs due diligence, a final agreement and regulatory approvals.
Payment licences are now being bought and sold as assets. If you’re a founder of a licensed Saudi fintech, it’s important to know what your licence is worth before deals like this SAR 35 million sale set the standard.
Brussels clears the path for EA
PIF's consortium set to win EU approval for the $55bn EA take-private — history's largest LBO — merger clearance due 22 July, subsidy review closes 30 July.
The takeaway: $55bn for a games company is the clearest statement yet that entertainment is not a side bet, gaming is a Saudi strategic asset class.
The insurance market doubled
Saudi Arabia's insurance market reached SR84 billion in 2025, up from SR42 billion in 2021, effectively doubling in four years. Health and motor insurance accounted for 89% of premium growth, with health insurance alone contributing to 68% of that increase. Growth is decelerating sharply: 26.9% in 2022, 22.7% in 2023, 16.3% in 2024, 10.7% in 2025.
The market doubled in four years while its growth rate halved twice, from 26.9% to 10.7%, as the sector moves from expansion into maturity, where the next phase competes on retention rather than acquisition.
