The Riyadh Season that runs from October to March 2025, with an array of entertainment and sporting activities, is drawing huge interest from the UAE with an increasing number of travellers planning trips to the Saudi capital.

New data from leading online travel brand, Expedia, said the short travel times to these major attractions have spurred a significant rise in UAE residents participating in the festivities, with a 35% increase in travel searches between October and December.

Searches for Riyadh during the January to March period have also grown by 15% compared to the same period in 2025.

From Hollywood A-listers to music icons and sporting greats, Riyadh Season, which kicks off on October 12, has quickly captured the global imagination with an exciting range of entertainment and sporting activities.

This year features world title boxing, world-class tennis, standup comedy, and music concerts.

Now in its fifth year, Riyadh Season has rapidly become one of the world’s largest winter entertainment events, drawing visitors from as far as the UK, with a 315% surge in searches made by Brits.

Meanwhile, a growing number of Saudis are opting for staycations during the celebrations, driving a 220% increase in local searches.

World-class Sport

The kingdom has rapidly gained a reputation as a sporting hub, and this is evident in the high calibre of talent it attracts. This year, Riyadh Season will kick off in style on October 12 with an undisputed world light heavyweight championship boxing bout.

The day of the boxing match has seen a 150% increase in hotel searches for Riyadh on Expedia. It does not stop there as some of the globe's top tennis stars will compete at a Grand Slam from October 17-19, which has driven a 240% jump in tourism searches for this period.

Entertainment for All

US comedian Martin Lawrence has one of the highest trending acts of the year. The date of his standup show on October 18, witnessed a 255% year-on-year jump in searches.

A new series of shows based around everyone’s favourite wizard Harry, will run in Riyadh from 29 November 29 to December 6. This has sparked the imagination of the young and young at heart alike with a 205% jump in travel searches during those dates, compared with the same period last year.

Most Popular Travel Dates

Interestingly, the most popular dates for international travellers visiting Riyadh for the season are 20 October 20, November 1, and December 20. Broken down by month, Expedia reveals the busiest dates in the capital looks set to be:

• October – 20, 28, 25, 17 and 14

• November – 1, 4, 8, 7, and 3

• December – 20, 19, 21, 23 and 26

UAE Travellers Opt for New Hotel Openings

As tourism continues to flourish in the kingdom, an impressive array of new hotels and resorts are constantly emerging. UAE travellers have shown a strong interest in these offerings.

This is evident in the top five most popular hotel bookings, which include two properties that debuted in 2024.

1. Hilton Riyadh Olaya (opened 2024)

2. Carawan Al Fahad Hotel

3. Radisson Hotel & Residence Riyadh Olaya (opened 2024)

4. Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace

5. Narcissus The Royal Hotel

International Travellers

Riyadh Season has fully established the Saudi capital as a tourist hotspot, and competition among hotels in the city is hotting up. Overall, Expedia found that the top 15 Riyadh hotels have all experienced a year-on-year search increase of more than 300%.

The Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace proved to be the most popular hotel for the season, seeing a 400% increase - up two places in the ranking from 2023.

The Radisson Blu Hotel Riyadh is up 11 places to second with a 350% rise, the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Minhal jumps one place to third with a 340% growth. The InterContinental Riyadh is fourth with a 330% increase and up seven places in the rankings and in fifth is the Holiday Inn Riyadh Al Qasr with a 325% increase. – TradeArabia News Service