Wego, the Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) largest online travel marketplace, and the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) have established a strategic cooperation to entice Middle Eastern tourists to return to Saudi Arabia after a year away. Saudi Arabia has been praised around the world for its response to the epidemic, and was one of the first countries to take unusual preventive steps to prevent COVID-19 from spreading within the kingdom. Wego reported that just days following the announcement of flight resumptions in early September 2021, our platform noticed a 1,700 percent surge in flight searches from Saudi to the UAE.
Wego and the Saudi Tourism Authority will work together to increase visitor flow and visitation to Saudi Arabia’s bustling cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as the country’s boundless sand dunes, mountain peaks, desert oases, and vibrant Red Sea coastline. “We’re excited to embark on this partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority,” Mamoun Hmedan, chief commercial officer and managing director, MENA and India, Wego, said. Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman are now the leading destinations for searches to Saudi Arabia from the MENA area. According to data, around 65 percent of customers are looking for a three-day stay. With 76 percent, solo travelers are the most common type of traveler looking for flights, followed by families and couples.