Saudi tourism down 5%-6% so far in 2026 because of Iran war, minister says

ROME, June 18 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's tourism sector slowed by 5% to 6% in the first five months of 2026 compared to last year because of the Iran war, Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb told the FII PRIORITY Europe summit.

"We have experienced a control-able slowdown," Al-Khateeb said. He added that Saudi Arabia was able to hedge the impact of the war on travel because of religious tourism, as millions of Muslims gather in Mecca to perform the year-round pilgrimage, umrah, and the annual hajj pilgrimage.



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