A visa-free regime between Russia and Saudi Arabia has come into effect starting from May 11, 2026. Citizens of Russia can enter Saudi Arabia and stay for up to 90 days per calendar year (continuously or in total). For work, study, Hajj, and Umrah, a visa remains mandatory.
Russian Travel Digest has analyzed whether we can expect an increase in demand among Russian tourists for trips to the Kingdom. First, some statistics, the key figures look like this:
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2021 and earlier: Before 2019, Saudi Arabia did not issue tourist visas, so there was virtually no organized tourist flow from Russia.
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2022: The country was visited by around 55,000 Russians.
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2023: The flow doubled, reaching 106,000 people. The growth is attributed to the emergence of not only pilgrimage tours but also sightseeing and beach holidays.
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2024 (preliminary): According to expert estimates, the tourist flow remained at around 100,000people. In the first half of the year (January–April), 57,000 arrivals were recorded, indicating continued active growth.
For comparison, the total foreign tourist flow to Saudi Arabia in 2023 amounted to 27.4 million people, meaning that Russians accounted for a relatively small share (0.39%).
In 2019, Riyadh, which until then had primarily allowed entry only for Muslim pilgrims, simplified the tourist visa process for citizens of various countries, including Russians, amid growing interest in tourism. At that time, it became possible to obtain a multiple-entry electronic tourist visa for travel around Saudi Arabia. As of May 11, 2026, Russians can enter Saudi Arabia without a visa.
Flights between the countries are operated by two Saudi budget airlines:
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Flynas launches direct flights from Riyadh to Moscow on May 29. In June, the schedule includes several flights, and by July, there will be a stable 4–5 flights per week. A one-way ticket starts from 25,000 rubles without luggage.
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Saudia will begin flights on July 2 on the same route, with prices starting from 33,800 rubles including luggage.
Russian tour operators are not yet selling tours to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to recommendations issued by the Ministry of Economic Development in March. No changes in this regard are expected until the end of the Middle East conflict. However, individual travelers can purchase tickets and book accommodation on their own.
Meanwhile, the cost of a one-week tour to the Kingdom starts from $2,000. A trip to Riyadh or Jeddah will be cheaper by an average of 20–30%, but these cities lag behind Dubai, Doha, and Muscat in terms of tourist infrastructure.
However, the visa waiver could attract more Russian tourists to the Red Sea coast resorts, which could compete with Egypt and the UAE, said Mohammed Al-Jassem, Deputy Head of CIPBC, to RIA Novosti. He refers to beach tourist zones such as the Red Sea project with Al-Wajh and Shurayrah islands, as well as the Amaala resort. Travel agency representatives agree, reporting that a vacation on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia is comparable in price to Egypt. That is, literally before the Iranian conflict, an entire family could fly there and have a vacation for 250,000 rubles.
Among the disadvantages of the destination, experts cite the lack of alcohol and a strict dress code, in which Saudi Arabia significantly loses out to other Arab Gulf countries: the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. Some also note that Saudi Arabia does not yet have a large presence of Russian-speaking staff. It is also very difficult to find a good Russian-speaking guide in the country.
Summer is not the season in Saudi Arabia: it is too hot. The tourist flow there usually revives closer to winter. In the fall, the interest from Russians could be quite real, and Saudi Arabia could be in demand. But one should not expect a strong surge in tourist traffic.
For the interest of RTD readers, here is the list of some tour operators with Saudi Arabia it its portfolio: Space Travel, Art-Tour, Intourist, Pegast Touristic, Russian Express, ICS Travel Group, Solvex, Anex Tour, Coral Travel (and Sunmar).
