The much-anticipated Riyadh Season is set to kick off in spectacular fashion with demand from UAE residents surging as increasing numbers of travellers plan trips to the Saudi capital, according to new data from leading online travel brand, Expedia.
Riyadh Season
From Hollywood A-listers to music icons and sporting greats, Riyadh Season, which runs from October to March, has quickly captured the global imagination with an exciting range of entertainment and sporting activities.
This year is no different as organizers put on a showcase of entertaining events featuring world title boxing, world-class tennis, standup comedy, and music concerts.
The short travel times to these major attractions have spurred a significant rise in UAE residents participating in the festivities according to Expedia, with a 35% increase in travel searches between October and December. Searches for Riyadh during the January to March period have also grown by 15% compared to the same period in 2025.
Now in its fifth year, Riyadh Season has rapidly become one of the world’s largest winter entertainment events, drawing visitors from as far as the UK, with a 315% surge in searches made by Brits. Meanwhile, a growing number of Saudis are opting for staycations during the celebrations, driving a 220% increase in local searches.
Witness world-class sport
The Kingdom has rapidly gained a reputation as a sporting hub, and this is evident in the high calibre of talent it attracts. This year, Riyadh Season will kick off in style on 12 October with an undisputed world light heavyweight championship boxing bout. The day of the boxing match has seen a 150% increase in hotel searches for Riyadh on Expedia. It does not stop there as some of the globe’s top tennis stars will compete at a Grand Slam from 17 to 19 October, which has driven a 240% jump in tourism searches for this period.
Entertainment for every taste
US comedian Martin Lawrence has one of the highest trending acts of the year. 18 October, the date of his standup show, witnessed a 255% year-on-year jump in searches.
A new series of shows based around everyone’s favourite wizard Harry, will run in Riyadh from 29 November to 6 December. This has sparked the imagination of the young and young at heart alike with a 205% jump in travel searches during those dates, compared with the same period last year.
Most popular travel dates
Interestingly, the most popular dates for international travellers visiting Riyadh for the season are 20 October, 1 November and 20 December. Broken down by month, Expedia reveals the busiest dates in the capital looks set to be:
- October – 20th, 28th, 25th, 17th and 14th
- November – 1st, 4th, 8th, 7th, and 3rd
- December – 20th, 19th, 21st, 23rd and the 26th
UAE travellers opt for new hotel openings
As tourism continues to flourish in the Kingdom, an impressive array of new hotels and resorts are constantly emerging. UAE travellers, known for their adventurous spirit and eagerness to explore new experiences, have shown a strong interest in these offerings. This is evident in the top five most popular hotel bookings, which include two properties that debuted in 2024.
- Hilton Riyadh Olaya (opened 2024)
- Carawan Al Fahad Hotel
- Radisson Hotel & Residence Riyadh Olaya (opened 2024)
- Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace
- Narcissus The Royal Hotel
Riyadh hotels driving huge growth from international travelers
Riyadh Season has fully established the Saudi capital as a tourist hotspot, and competition among hotels in the city is hotting up. Overall, Expedia found that the top 15 Riyadh hotels have all experienced a year-on-year search increase of more than 300%.
The Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace proved to be the most popular hotel for the season, seeing a 400% increase – up two places in the ranking from 2023. The Radisson Blu Hotel Riyadh is up 11 places to second with a 350% rise, the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Minhal jumps one place to third with a 340% growth. The InterContinental Riyadh is fourth with a 330% increase and up seven places in the rankings and in fifth is the Holiday Inn Riyadh Al Qasr with a 325% increase.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
