"Tourism in Saudi Arabia"

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Although the bulk of tourism in Saudi Arabia still includes religious pilgrimages, there has been an increase in the cognitive tourism sector. According to the World Bank, about 14.3 million people visited Saudi Arabia in 2012, putting it 19th in attendance. Potential tourist areas include the Al Hijaz and Sarawat mountains, diving in the Red Sea and many ancient ruins.

In December 2013, Saudi Arabia announced its intention to start issuing tourist visas for the first time in its history. The Council of Ministers instructed the Saudi Tourism and Antiquities Commission to issue visas on the basis of certain rules approved by the ministries of interior and foreign affairs.

Saudi Arabia is the leader in terms of tourism growth among the G20 countries.In 2021, more than 63 million people visited Saudi Arabia - 2 times more than in 2018.

Museums
Museum of National Heritage and History in Riyadh
Buraida Museum
Dammam Historical Museum ()
Dammah Public Library
Dhahran Exhibition Centre ()
People's Village
National Museum
The Dammam National Museum is located on the 4th floor of the Dammam Public Library, opposite the Muhammad bin Fahd Stadium at the Dammam Khobar Highway junction in the Al-Tubaishi district. The museum is dedicated to the history, culture and inhabitants of the country, stores sacred things and remnants of crafts, so it is a must-visit for guests of the region.

World Heritage
Ed-Diriya is a city in Saudi Arabia located on the northwestern outskirts of Riyadh. Diriyah was the first home of the Saudi royal family and served as the capital of the first Saudi dynasty from 1744 to 1818. Today, the city is the capital of the Dirya province, which also includes the settlements of Uyayna, Jubail, Al-Ammmariyah and others; it is part of the administrative district (province) of Riyadh.

Madain Salih is a pre-Islamic archaeological site located near the city of Al-Ula, in Medina County in Saudi Arabia. Most of the finds are attributed to the Nabataean kingdom (1st century AD). The place is the southernmost and largest settlement after Petra, the capital of the kingdom. Traces of the Lihyanites and Roman occupation before and after the Nabataean administration, respectively, can also be found at the site, while accounts from the Qur'an narrate an earlier settlement of the area by the Samud tribe in the 3rd millennium BC.

Religious tourism

Tourism in Saudi Arabia is still largely linked to religious pilgrimages. Mecca is visited by more than three million pilgrims a year during the month of Dhul-Hijah in Hajj, and about two million per month of Ramadan in Umrah. For the rest of the year, Mecca receives about four million during Umrah. Hajj, or pilgrimage to the city, is one of the five pillars of Islam. However, representatives of other religions are not allowed here.

Restrictions and security

eVisa for GCC Residents

Who is eligible for a visa and what is required?

The minimum age of applicants is 18