Is Saudi Arabia the world’s MOST underrated holiday destination?

A few years ago, Saudi Arabia wasn’t even on most people’s travel radar.

Now it’s spending billions to change that, and South Africans happen to have an easier way in than almost anyone else on the continent.

A COUNTRY THAT’S DELIBERATELY REINVENTING ITSELF

Saudi Arabia’s tourism push is part of its Vision 2030 plan, a deliberate strategy to diversify the economy away from oil by building out tourism, culture, and entertainment.

The results are already showing.

The country welcomed more than 100 million visitors in 2023 alone, with tourist numbers growing roughly 150% since 2019.

This isn’t a country quietly opening its doors.

It’s actively building resorts, festivals, museums and entire new cities to pull in leisure travellers who, until recently, had no real reason to visit.

SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE IT EASIER THAN MOST OF AFRICA

Here’s the part that makes this genuinely relevant for us.

Saudi Arabia’s updated 2026 tourist eVisa list includes 66 countries worldwide, and only three of them are African: Mauritius, Seychelles, and South Africa.

The rest of the continent, including Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana, has to apply through Saudi embassies instead, a slower, more paperwork-heavy process.

South Africa was first added to the programme back in August 2023, and this year’s confirmed list means we’ve held onto that access while most of Africa hasn’t.

The eVisa itself is a multiple-entry visa valid for a full year, allowing stays of up to 90 days per visit.

It covers tourism, leisure, family visits, and Umrah (excluding Hajj, which still needs a separate application through an accredited operator).

Applications go through the official Saudi portal, and most South Africans get approved within minutes to 48 hours, no embassy visit required.

Getting there has also gotten easier.

Saudia has resumed direct flights between Jeddah and Johannesburg, cutting out the multiple stopovers that used to make Gulf travel a hassle from South Africa.

WHAT TO ACTUALLY GO AND SEE

Saudi Arabia’s tourism push has opened up desert landscapes, Red Sea coastlines, and ancient sites to leisure travellers for the first time in the country’s history.

Five places worth building your itinerary around:

1. AlUla
Home to Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, older and less crowded than Jordan’s Petra.

• 100+ Nabataean tombs carved into sandstone cliffs
• Dramatic canyon landscapes
• World-class stargazing
• The AlUla Moments festival season

2. Riyadh
The capital where old and new Saudi Arabia collide.

• Masmak Fortress, birthplace of the modern Saudi state
• Kingdom Centre Tower’s Sky Bridge for panoramic city views
• Riyadh Season’s concerts and entertainment

3. Jeddah
Your likely entry point, worth lingering in rather than rushing through.

• Al-Balad, a UNESCO-listed historic old town of coral-stone houses
• Jeddah Corniche’s Red Sea sunset walks
• Public art installations by international sculptors

4. Dammam and the Eastern Province
Less polished for tourists, which is exactly the appeal for an authentic Saudi experience.

• Al Ahsa, one of the largest oases on Earth
• Over 2.5 million date palms
• Ancient wells and centuries-old working souqs

5. Dhahran
Just outside Dammam, a window into where Saudi culture is headed.

• Cinema, art and science exhibitions
• Ithra (King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture)
• Striking modern architecture

I’ve been visiting Saudi Arabia for the past 10 years, and the change in tourism has been remarkable to watch firsthand.

People have become so much more welcoming too.

The country is also massive, so there’s genuinely so much to see and do.

Applying for the e-visa takes about ten minutes. I usually have mine within thirty. That ease makes it all the more exciting to just go.

I’d highly recommend adding it to your travel bucket list.

IS THIS SOMETHING YOU’D CONSIDER ADDING TO YOUR TRAVEL LIST?