Saudi Winter Season

Saudi Winter Season is one of the tourism seasons in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, launched from December 10, 2020, to March 21, 2021, under the slogan "Winter Is Around." It featured more than seventeen tourist destinations across the Kingdom, offering over three hundred tourist experiences and packages, with the participation of the private sector through more than two hundred specialized companies.

The tourist destinations in the Saudi Winter Season are diverse, including sea destinations such as Umluj Governorate, Yanbu Governorate, Jazan Province, and the Eastern Province; land destinations throughout the Kingdom's vast deserts; historical destinations in al-Ula, Diriyah, and al-Ahsa Governorates; mountain destinations in al-Bahah, Aseer Provinces, and Taif Governorate; and cold-weather destinations in Tabuk and Hail Provinces, and the Northern Borders. Each destination offers unique recreational and tourist activities, managed and supervised by the Ministry of Tourism and the Saudi Tourism Authority.

The Saudi Winter Season provides tourist experiences, including desert camping or "al-Kashta," local culinary tours, hiking, recreation and relaxation, and marine, rural, and adventure activities.

Land destinations are popular tourist spots during the Saudi Winter Season. They are spread across various provinces, including Makkah al-Mukarramah, Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Tabuk, the Northern Borders, and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah.

These land destinations include vast deserts such as an-Nufud al-Kabir desert, Nufud al-Qawz, Nufud al-Jubbah, Nufud al-Arqqanah, Jabal Nileat, Jibal Aja and Salma, an-Nufud al-Saghir desert, Rawdat Noura, Shaib al-Shawkie, Wadi al-Touqi, Rawdat al-Tanahat, Nufud Saad, Rawdat al-Khafs, Nufud Umm al-Shuqaiq and its garden, Matal Shoaib (Edge of the World), Rawdat Khuraim, al-Thumamah, Jabal al-Lawz, Wadi ad-Disah, and Wadi al-Qamar.

Desert visitors can indulge in many different activities like dune bashing, desert camping "al-Kashta," sandboarding, and exploring desert lakes that form after winter rains.

The Saudi Winter Season offers a unique experience in the cold-weather destinations north of the Kingdom, including Tabuk, al-Jawf, Hail, and the Northern Borders Provinces, where snow falls on mountain peaks such as Jabal al-Lawz, the highest point in Tabuk Province, and the only place in the Kingdom that almost annually experiences snowfall.

Tourists visiting these cold destinations can try camping in the snow, taking winter camel rides or hiking, mountain climbing, and snow sledding.

Historical destinations are a key part of the Saudi Winter Season destinations, with notable destinations in the Kingdom including al-Ula, Diriyah, and al-Ahsa Governorates. Visitors to al-Ula can enjoy historical tours of the Old Town, visit al-Ula Oasis, and explore an open-air museum filled with rock formations.

In Diriyah, activities include walking through gardens, tasting traditional cuisine, cycling, running, and visiting the historical Al-Turaif district. Visitors to al-Ahsa can stop by its landscape and al-Qarah hill.

Among the maritime tourist destinations offered during the Saudi Winter Season are the shores of Umluj, Yanbu, Jeddah Governorates, and the Eastern Province. Among the tourist activities offered during winter visits is moving around the islands of Umluj, which begin from its northern coast and increase in number near al-Wajh City. Visitors can explore the history of the Old Emirate Palace in Umluj, discover the natural landscapes of Harrat Lunayyir, relax by Yanbu Bay, and stroll through Old Town Yanbu. Additionally, visitors can enjoy a walk along Jeddah's Corniche, visit al-Khobar Sea Front, and explore Dammam new city.

The Saudi Winter Season provides entertainment options for those looking to experience mountain tourism in al-Bahah, Aseer, and Jazan Provinces, and Taif Governorate. Visitors can admire mountain views, such as Jibal Fifa, visit museums and historical palaces, explore geological wonders such as Wahbah Crater in Taif, climb mountains like Jabal Shada in al-Bahah Province, camp in forests, savor traditional foods, wash in the hot springs of Jazan, visit the Farasan Islands, and try paragliding in Abha.

The Saudi Tourism Authority has enhanced the appeal of natural reserves for 'environmental' and 'exploratory adventure' tourists by including 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid Reserve, Saja and Umm ar-Rimth Reserve, and Farasan Islands Reserve in the list of tourist experiences in 'the Saudi Winter Season'. This initiative, in collaboration with the National Center for Wildlife, allows visitors, especially nature enthusiasts, to explore these three reserves. It is a step towards promoting sustainable eco-tourism and raising environmental awareness about the importance of preserving natural resources which have become one of the most popular types of tourism globally, as it focuses on protecting the ecosystems of reserves and their biodiversity.

Jeddah, being a major tourist destination in the Kingdom, boasts markets that attract residents from the governorate, neighboring cities, tourists, and visitors thanks to the diverse range of local and traditional goods, giving shopping enthusiasts plenty of options. Moreover, Jeddah is home to dozens of luxurious malls and commercial centers and has a rich history of traditional markets that attract locals and visitors. These markets are popular for their simplicity, with some markets, especially in al-Balad District and Historic Jeddah, retaining the social and economic aspects of life from the past.

The Saudi Winter Season launched the Saudi Winter Media Excellence Award Initiative, with a total prize pool of SAR250,000, covering five diverse categories: press reports, TV reports, radio programs, photographic images, and short films. The initiative aims to enhance professionalism in media production and encourage creativity and innovation in promoting Saudi tourism.

The Saudi Tourism Authority has also published various brochures and materials to promote the Saudi Winter Season, highlighting recommended places and activities, and making it easier for visitors to access them.

The Kingdom began welcoming international visitors in September 2019, offering a one-year visa for stays of up to ninety consecutive days as a maximum, and tourists from sixty-six countries can obtain the visa electronically.

The process of obtaining the electronic tourist visa usually takes just a few minutes, typically between five to thirty minutes. For tourists from other countries, the Kingdom allows them to apply for a visa at the nearest Saudi embassy or consulate.

The tourism ecosystem in the Kingdom includes the Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Development Fund, and the Saudi Tourism Authority. It is worth mentioning that the tourism sector is a key pillar in achieving Saudi Vision 2030.

According to the report issued by the World Tourism Organization, the Kingdom made a significant leap in the ranking of countries most visited by international tourists, advancing twelve places to rank thirteenth by the end of 2022, compared to twenty-fifth in 2019. International tourists visiting the Kingdom for all purposes reached 16.6 million in 2022.