Saudi Arabia’s Wellness Economy Soars to $19.8 Billion, Fueled by Vision 2030 Goals, New Report

Thursday, October 31, 2024

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a non-profit authority on the global wellness market, today unveiled fresh insights into Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning $19.8 billion wellness economy. The new data highlights the Kingdom as one of the fastest-expanding wellness hubs in the Middle East and North Africa, boasting an impressive 66% average annual growth in wellness tourism from 2020 to 2022.

“Saudi Arabia’s wellness market has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, driven by strategic investments outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which emphasizes enhancing Saudi citizens’ health and wellbeing while fostering wellness tourism opportunities,” said Susie Ellis, GWI’s chair and CEO. “In recent years, Saudi Arabia has not only rebounded from the downturn caused by the pandemic, but has also exceeded its pre-pandemic levels of 2019.”

This latest analysis is hosted on GWI’s Geography of Wellness platform, facilitated through a collaboration with Red Sea Global (RSG), a dynamic real estate developer specializing in luxury regenerative tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia, including The Red Sea and AMAALA.

Over the past year, this partnership has enabled RSG to participate in global GWI events, promoting the expansion of the wellness sector in Saudi Arabia and the crucial role played by its strategic projects.

“Saudi Arabia is undergoing one of the most substantial and exciting transformations at any time in history. Vision 2030 is seeing the Kingdom establish a thriving nation and a vibrant society by creating new sectors to diversify its economy. One example is tourism, and within this, wellness tourism,” said Lindsay Madden Nadeau, wellness director at Red Sea Global.

“Through a yearlong collaboration, culminating in this market report and a presence at the Global Wellness Summit in November, we have a baseline of actionable data that helps us understand the country’s current position and future direction,” she added. “In 2025, we hope to continue working with GWI to improve the availability of such data, driving engagement with other key Saudi stakeholders, and promote awareness of this promising sector for local and international partners.”

AMAALA is setting the stage for world-class resort experiences, partnering with prestigious brands like Clinique La Prairie, Equinox Hotels, Jayasom, Six Senses, Rosewood Hotels, Four Seasons, and Ritz-Carlton. These alliances ensure that visitors can always encounter something novel or revisit cherished experiences.

Vision 2030 and its integration with wellness tourism aim to diversify and sustain the economy, providing new opportunities for the Saudi populace and its environment. Earlier this year, UN Tourism commended Saudi Arabia for its proactive approach after the nation welcomed over 100 million tourists in 2023, achieving its goal seven years ahead of schedule. Since the inception of Vision 2030, tourism’s contribution to the GDP has surged from 3% to 7%, with expectations to hit 10% by 2030. AMAALA alone is projected to add approximately $3 billion to the national GDP upon completion, along with tens of thousands of jobs.

Moreover, GWI’s data showcases substantial growth in adjacent sectors such as thermal/mineral springs and spas, with growth rates of 41.5% and 35.6% respectively, and the wellness real estate sector growing by 23.4% annually since 2020.

Saudi Arabia is not just expanding economically but also offers a rich tapestry of wellness heritage and diverse natural landscapes—from the serene waters of the Gulf and Red Sea to its extensive sandy coastlines, coastal mangroves, vast deserts, lush southwestern mountains, and eastern valleys and oases. These settings provide a perfect backdrop for a variety of wellness and recreational activities. Furthermore, the Kingdom continues to nurture traditional Islamic and Arabic medicinal practices, utilizing local plants and herbs for health and healing, which have been integral to their wellness practices for centuries.

Detailed rankings and growth figures for Saudi Arabia’s wellness sectors are as follows:

• Healthy Eating, Nutrition & Weight Loss: #27, +5.5%, $5.8B
• Physical Activity: #25, +16.6%, $4.7B
• Personal Care & Beauty: #41, +9.6%, $4.4B
• Public Health, Prevention & Personalized Medicine: #25, +6.5%, $2.5B
• Mental Wellness: #19, +10.9%, $1.1B
• Spas: #31, +35.6%, $0.6B
• Wellness Tourism: #67, +66%, $0.5B
• Workplace Wellness: #15, +2.8%, $0.5B
• Traditional & Complementary Medicine: #61, +5.3%, $0.2B
• Wellness Real Estate: #39, +23.4%, $0.2B
• Thermal/Mineral Springs: #111, +41.5%, $0.0B

Total Wellness Economy: #34, +10.6%, $19.8B