Over the last decade, the number of Saudi Arabian tourists has increased by 40% on average. Though they travel for both business & pleasure, 77% of Saudi Arabians are leisure travelers to budget-friendly and scenic destinations as well as beach resorts, with the top 3 destinations being UAE, Egypt and Turkey. No wonder every second brief we get is targeted at the Saudi market.

But what’s surprising is that at a time when you can order your groceries online, Saudis still prefer to book through travel agents, though they use digital media to research and organize their trips. In fact, more than 60% choose to book their travel items like flights, accommodation and transport separately. They also don’t mind flying with a stopover if it is more economical.

When we dig a little deeper into their planning habits, we find that they are spontaneous travelers who book a just few weeks in advance or sometimes even a few days before their actual travel date. They seek family-friendly accommodation, large living spaces and connecting rooms with special amenities for the kids.

If budgets permit and you have enough lead time, invest in an outdoor campaign at least 1 month prior to the travel period since it is a high impact medium in the Saudi market. Alternatively, it is advisable to run a 3-week highly targeted tactical campaign on radio to raise instant awareness. This should be backed up with a strong performance driven digital campaign targeted at travelers intent on finalizing their holiday booking.

Source: IPSOS December 2018