Saudi Arabia

Asir: One of Saudi Arabia’s Top Tourist Attractions

Published

2 days ago

18th March 2025

Huda Az

In the Asir region in the southwest of the Kingdom, golden dunes meet verdant plateaus, and mountain peaks meet spotless beaches.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is trying to balance oil and non-oil activities by diversifying its economy to lessen its reliance on the oil industry. The tourism industry is arguably the main force behind the Kingdom’s economic expansion.

Since 2016, the Saudi tourism industry has experienced tremendous growth as part of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a significant global travel destination in addition to the Middle East.

Due to the facilitation and assistance, it has given to the tourism industry, the Kingdom surpassed all other G20 nations in the growth rate of this sector, reaching 156% in 2024 compared to 2019. This information comes from the Saudi Ministry of Tourism.

In addition to adding over 15,000 new hotel rooms, the Saudi Ministry of Tourism hopes to add over 1.8 million seats to flights to summer destinations in the Kingdom.

The Kingdom’s entry permits are now instantaneously issued via a dedicated website, thanks to major efforts by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism. The starting price for a hotel room is about $50 per night, whereas hotels with international brands might charge up to $800 per night.

Asir: A distinctive travel location

Golden dunes meet lush plateaus, and mountain peaks meet immaculate beaches in the Asir region in the southwest of the Kingdom.

Abha serves as both the capital and emirate of Asir, which has a total size of 81,000 square kilometres. Wadi al-Ghail, situated 170 km from Abha at the summit of the Tihama plains in the Majardah Governorate, is its most significant landmark. Wadi al-Ghail is a town in Asbar that has historic structures and fresh water gushing from the summits of the mountains.

The Fog Walk, one of Asir’s tourist attractions, sits atop Abha’s tallest peaks and offers visitors a singular experience due to its remarkable ambience.

For those who enjoy trekking and mountaineering, Al-Soudah Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. The Dahna Waterfall is one of the few semi-permanent waterfalls in the Kingdom and one of the most notable natural monuments in the area.

150 Million Tourists

The Kingdom’s vast territory allows for the presence of numerous, diverse, and unique tourist attractions worldwide. As a result, the tourist industry has been positioned as one of the main pillars sustaining the national economy in Vision 2030. The vision’s major goal is to attract 150 million tourists by 2030, even though Saudi Arabia has already accomplished the goal of 100 million visitors in a single year.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia intends to set a new record for international visitor expenditure, with over 170 billion riyals expected in 2024, according to a statement from Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. Spending by foreign visitors totalled 141 billion riyals in 2023.