Saudi hotel developers push ahead despite Houthi attacks scaring off foreign visitors

A record 401 hotel projects are under development in Saudi Arabia, but the country's image as a safe destination is being hurt by ongoing attacks.

Edited by Sandeep Gupta, Editor · SafarSamachar Desk✔ Approved by Sandeep Gupta13 Nov 2026, 10:20 am IST

Illustration

Illustration: SafarSamachar Pix Desk, created with AI assistance. Not a photograph of the event.

Key facts at a glance

1Hotel projects will add 109,320 rooms
2A Houthi missile attack killed 13 people at Riyadh's main airport a month before the report

A record 401 hotel projects are currently in development, adding 109,320 rooms when completed. The pipeline has grown by 15% compared to the same time last year, and Saudi Arabia now accounts for 52 % of all Middle East hotel projects while holding 58 % of the region's total rooms under development.

Riyadh leads with 114 hotel projects in progress. A Houthi missile attack killed 13 people at Riyadh's main airport a month before this report was published. The attacks have closed airports, cancelled events and driven up insurance costs for conflict-risk coverage.

Investors are still signing deals but are betting on domestic and religious travel to sustain the market rather than the international visitors that Vision 2030 aims to attract.

What this means for Indian travellers

Even as Saudi Arabia's hotel development boom accelerates, ongoing Houthi attacks threaten its appeal to foreign tourists; domestic and religious travel will likely keep the industry afloat.

Sources

SSkift

This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and read and approved for publication by Sandeep Gupta on 13 Nov 2026; the figures come from the reports listed above. Read our editorial policy.Rules and schedules change - confirm with the airline or embassy before you travel. Spotted an error? Tell us.