Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; January 27 2020: Seera Group, the leading travel and tourism company in the Middle East, has released a new travel report revealing significant increase in consumer travel bookings to Riyadh from 11 October 2019 to 5 January 2020, compared to the same period the previous year. The report highlights the growth achieved due to the exceptional success of ‘Riyadh Season’ festival that was held in Saudi Arabia during this time frame.
The biggest of 11 such events, planned as part of the Saudi Seasons initiative, the 66-day Riyadh Season started mid-October 2019, offering over 100 exciting cultural and entertainment events and experiences, allowing residents and tourists the opportunity to explore, experience and embrace Saudi Arabia in a different light. According to Turki Al Sheikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority more than 11 million people visited Riyadh Season 2019-2020.
During the festival, flights booked through Almosafer and tajawal into Riyadh increased by 107% year-on-year from 2018-2019 to 2019-2020 with the domestic and inbound air travel bookings surging by 106% while international flights into Riyadh registered a 110% growth, as compared to the same period in 2018-2019.
Muzzammil Ahussain, EVP Consumer Travel at Seera Group said: "Our latest travel report underlines Riyadh Season’s huge success and its contribution to the growth of tourism in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh Season, a blockbuster initiative has helped put the spotlight on the kingdom’s rich heritage, culture and diversity. As Riyadh Season draws millions, we saw an increasing number of people choosing to travel with Almosafer and tajawal. We are proud to be Saudi Arabia’s leading travel and tourism country and are delighted to be a part of this tourism and entertainment revolution in Saudi Arabia."
Built on Saudi Vision 2030 goal of establishing the entertainment industry as a key component of the national economy, Riyadh Season delivered unprecedented opportunities for locals, residents, and visitors to enjoy world-class entertainment and activities across 12 themed zones spread around the city.
The data from Almosafer and tajawal indicated that 71% of the bookings were made for departures from Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah, Damman, Madinah, Abha and Gizan. The rest of the attendees from outside the Kingdom were mainly from the MENA region with the majority travelling from Dubai and Cairo.
According to the reports, those travelling to the festival appeared to be price-conscious, as the demand for one to three-star hotels increased by 240% and four-star accommodations up by 78%. With consumers opting for affordable accommodations, the five-star luxury properties experienced a minor decline of 4% in total bookings. Overall the festival made a positive impact on the local hotel industry, with a 72% increase in hotel bookings year-on-year in the same period.
