By all accounts, summer in the Gulf is a time for retreat — a season when heat drives locals indoors and tourists look elsewhere. But in 2025, Saudi Arabia wants to change that narrative entirely. With the launch of its “Saudi Summer” program under the banner “Color Your Summer,” the Kingdom is inviting the world not to escape the heat, but to experience the vibrancy of a country redefining its place on the global travel map.

This isn’t a token campaign. It’s a full-fledged national effort backed by numbers as ambitious as its vision. Between May and September 2025, Saudi Arabia aims to draw over 41 million tourists — both domestic and international — and inject SAR 73 billion (approximately USD 19.5 billion) into its economy. Spearheaded by the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), this initiative isn’t just about warm weather getaways. It’s a statement of intent: that the Kingdom is ready for the world and is building an experience-rich future rooted in culture, leisure, and sustainable economic diversification.

Six destinations take center stage in this campaign — from Jeddah’s buzzing coastline to the cool highlands of Taif, Al-Baha, and Aseer, offering much-needed respite from summer heat. Add to that the Red Sea’s untouched beaches and Riyadh’s growing entertainment landscape, and Saudi Arabia’s summer starts to look less like a gamble and more like a game-changer.

At the heart of this effort is choice. Over 600 curated tourism products and 250 exclusive offers are now available — from luxury resorts and eco-tourism trails to food festivals, concerts, and cultural deep-dives. These aren’t just token events. The Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Jeddah’s arts and culture festivals, and heritage experiences across Aseer are designed to appeal to a new, diverse generation of global travelers who value authenticity, innovation, and storytelling over sun loungers and static itineraries.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb noted during the campaign’s launch that the Kingdom’s transformation is not a vision confined to skyscrapers or megacities. It is happening in its mountains, its deserts, its coastal towns — and in the way it tells its story to the world. "Color Your Summer" isn’t just marketing — it’s strategy.

Saudi Arabia is also making it easier than ever to visit. Expanding e-visa programs, streamlined airport processes, and collaborative packages with regional airlines are designed to eliminate friction points that once made the country feel off-limits to many travelers. The goal? To create not just memorable vacations, but a lasting impression that Saudi Arabia is open, engaging, and evolving.

But the campaign is more than economic arithmetic. It’s also a cultural reset. Under Vision 2030 — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping roadmap for post-oil diversification — tourism is the crown jewel of soft power. It's how the Kingdom builds bridges, attracts global attention, and invests in its people. Summer, long considered the tourism offseason, is now being reimagined as the stage for a new kind of Saudi storytelling.

What’s especially significant is how the “Saudi Summer” initiative aligns with broader regional dynamics. While cities like Dubai and Doha have long marketed themselves as luxury hubs or global stopovers, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as the story-rich alternative — where tourism meets transformation. From heritage sites in AlUla to the Red Sea’s sustainability-first resorts, it’s clear that Saudi Arabia’s pitch isn’t just about spectacle — it’s about depth.

As the 2025 summer season begins, the stakes are high — not just for visitor numbers, but for global perception. If Saudi Arabia’s bet pays off, it could mark the emergence of a new heavyweight in world tourism, one whose appeal is grounded not in mimicry of Western models, but in its own unique cultural and geographic strengths.

The campaign promises to color your summer — and perhaps the global tourism industry along with it.