When I say that Saudi Arabia is the next Dubai, it’s not for the reasons you may expect.
Firstly, Dubai is a city in the UAE, not a country…and I absolutely love what the UAE is doing. Some will say it has “no culture”, but that’s wrong. The expat, networking, and flashy culture is something we’ve never seen before…all while keeping their traditional values. Not to mention one of the biggest airport hubs in the world.
That is something Saudi Arabia cannot replicate…but they are building something very unique on their own.
Both countries are completely different…but from the western eye, many people will say they are the same due to being uneducated.
Dubai’s oil accounts for 1% of their GDP. What is Saudi Arabia’s oil GDP? 40% as of 2026. The catalyst now is that Saudi has loosened up A LOT in the past 10 years, and they want to capture some revenue in other ways.
So how is Saudi Arabia going to be the next Dubai?
Tourism In Saudi Arabia
It’s going to be the “next Dubai” in terms of tourism. As someone who recently visited, all I can say is that the construction is going crazy. The plan is clearly in place… and they seem hyper focused on it.
I mean I couldn’t tell you how many blueprints and signs I read about what was going to be built along the Red Sea, it was nuts. Very exciting stuff.
I think there’s just a different “aura” about Saudi Arabia due to the history and lore. Tourists have not even been allowed here until recently, to in which I thank them for.
Saudi has almost 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and now…we can all see them with our own eyes.
As a tourist, I felt extremely safe and comfortable in Jeddah. Not only that, it was just so peaceful. It felt “untouched”. I don’t think I saw another American the entire trip. But that’s going to change… I guarantee it.
Influencer Culture
There is a certain percentage of the human race that only does things so they can show people they are doing things. People want to look cool on social media (most usually don’t).
What’s a very popular spot? Dubai. And what happens when things get popular? People need to be “different”…so they change it up.
That’s where Saudi Arabia comes in….the lore, the mystery, the uknown.
Influencers are going to FLOCK there. Oh, somebody with more followers has an ATV picture with the Dubai tag? Well now you have an ATV picture with the Saudi tag! That’s just how society works nowadays.
Now there’s nothing wrong with this (despite my blunt words). That’s how word spreads and how fun things are found…Influencers.
I couldn’t tell you how many cool reels and posts have inspired me to just shut up and book it, but it’s a lot. So now wait until people realize that Saudi Arabia isn’t everything the media tells you it is.
Riyadh Air
You think Saudi Arabia is only pushing tourism with buildings and cool attractions? Absolutely not. They launched an entire airline funded by the Public Investment Fund. We will soon have Riyadh Air flying…and I cannot wait to try it.
Just a few small local flights right? Nope. 100 countries and over 120 planes on order.
This will be the second major airline coming out of Saudi Arabia. Saudia is based out of Jeddah, and now they have Riyadh Air to be based out of Riyadh.
And for us points people, we should be able to redeem on platforms such as Air France, Delta, Singapore Air, Virgin, and more.
I have an entire post explaining why you should be excited to try out Riyadh Air.
The New Age Of Saudi Arabia
Many folks will continue to live in the past, and completely ignore that Saudi Arabia has changed. When I told friends that I went, they said “how could you go there knowing women can’t drive!!?”
Well they can. Majority of things you read are fake and you can listen to what is real ,or continue to live in a fantasy land. I’m not here to discuss what Saudi Arabia “used to be like”, because I was not there to speak on it. The world is different everywhere.
But it is clear that Saudi Arabia has the money, infrastructure, and plan to be the “next” Dubai. I highly recommend visting.
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