Wego, the number one travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has revealed a growing interest among Saudi travellers in destinations beyond traditional tourism hubs, as they seek new experiences, diverse landscapes, and more ways to explore familiar countries this summer.
According to Wego’s latest search trends looking at round-trip flights for summer departures, a cluster of secondary cities recorded an increase in searches of more than 50% compared with the same period last year.
While established capitals and popular tourism hubs continue to attract strong demand, destinations offering a mix of culture, nature, and distinctive local experiences are gaining greater visibility in summer travel planning.
Beyond the Traditional Gateway Cities
Dalaman, Tivat, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Palma de Mallorca are among the secondary destinations attracting interest from Saudi travellers this summer, spanning the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and Asia.
Da Nang recorded a 117% increase in searches compared with the same period last year, while Palma de Mallorca grew 82% and Tivat by 55%.
Their appeal reflects the variety travellers can experience beyond major urban centres, from coastal and island landscapes to historic neighbourhoods, regional cuisine, cultural heritage, and outdoor activities.
Nature, Culture and Local Experiences Drive Discovery
The destinations gaining attention also point to a broader appetite for holidays built around coastline, nature,and local discovery. Wego data shows that coastal and island destinations accounted for around one in ten round-trip summer searches from Saudi Arabia this year, up from one in twelve last year.
Tivat and Palma de Mallorca sit on the coast with mountain ranges directly behind them, while Da Nang and Phu Quoc combine beaches with national parks and heritage sites nearby. Dalaman, meanwhile, opens up a quieter stretch of the Turkish coast beyond the main resort strips.
Together, these choices suggest travellers are expanding their summer itineraries beyond the best-known landmarks and incorporating places that offer a different perspective on the countries they visit.
Connectivity Opens Up More Destination Choices
Greater connectivity is also giving travellers more options when planning trips beyond major gateways. Wego data shows an average booking window of more than a month ahead for these destinations, with average trip lengths of around 10 days.
Where available, direct connectivity can further simplify these journeys, while connections through major regional hubs give travellers greater flexibility to incorporate multiple destinations into a single trip.
Commenting on the findings, Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego, said: “Saudi travellers are becoming more adventurous in how they explore familiar destinations. Major cities remain an important part of the journey, however we’re seeing greater interest in extending trips beyond the traditional gateways to discover different regions, landscapes, and local experiences. This gives travellers more variety within a single holiday and allows them to experience a destination from a different perspective. As connectivity and access continue to expand, we expect this appetite for broader, more experience-led itineraries to continue shaping travel choices.”
The trend points to an increasingly diverse summer travel landscape from Saudi Arabia, where established destinations remain important but are no longer necessarily the only stop. For Wego, the growing visibility of cities such as Dalaman, Tivat, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Palma de Mallorca reflects a broader evolution in how travellers discover and experience destinations.