Where snow meets sand in Aseer, Saudi

At the PATA Travel Mart (PTM2025) in Bangkok, among the wealth of meetings, speeches and corporate displays, one conversation cut through the noise. David Barrett, host of the Trends series, sat down with Saeed Alghami, Trade & Promotion Director of the Aseer Region Development Authority (ASDA). What emerged was not merely an exchange about visitor numbers and flight routes, but a revealing look at Saudi Arabia’s most surprising tourist region: Aseer.

The facts are striking. The Annual Statistical Report for 2024 shows that Aseer welcomed 7.5 million tourists, placing it fourth in the national rankings of most-visited destinations in the Kingdom. Yet beneath that headline figure lies a crucial caveat: fewer than 100,000 of those visitors were international. For now, Aseer remains a largely domestic attraction, supported by Saudis seeking cooler climes and mountain air rather than desert heat. By 2030, however, ASDA has set its sights on drawing nine million visitors annually, with a much greater share coming from abroad. To achieve that, the region is aligning closely with Saudi Vision 2030, investing in airports, luxury resorts and infrastructure designed to capture the attention of Asian and European markets alike.

Barrett began his interview with a simple but essential question: what is Aseer? Alghami answered with the enthusiasm of a man whose region remains something of a hidden gem. “There are 13 regions in Saudi Arabia. One of them is Aseer,” he explained. “It’s a very big region. If we can talk like the size, Aseer is like Austria, like Jordan, like UAE. We have 17 cities in this region. And the capital city of Aseer is Abha.” His point was clear: this is not a provincial backwater, but a vast and diverse swathe of the Kingdom.

What truly distinguishes Aseer, though, is its climate. “The weather there, you can imagine now in Aseer is 18 in summer,” said Alghami, to Barrett’s incredulity. “Really? Yes, it was snowing last week. All the people think that Saudi is very hot. Okay, not all of Saudi. Aseer is different.” The Director grinned as he explained that at 3,015 metres, the region contains one of the Kingdom’s highest peaks, alongside juniper forests, valleys and even snowfall. For a country synonymous with desert heat, the image of Saudi children playing in the snow is startling. Yet Aseer has long been a domestic refuge in the summer, when lowland cities climb above 40 degrees.

With regard to international access, the strategy became clear. “Actually, we’re targeting the domestic, then GCC countries,” Alghami confirmed. “We have a direct flight from Doha to Abha. Also from Dubai, a two-hour flight. We have three direct flights from Egypt. We have direct flight from Kuwait. And we are planning to open a new airport in 2028.” The roadmap stretches further. “In 2026, we are targeting Asia. We just finished a roadshow in Malaysia and Indonesia. We are targeting Europe in 2027. We are here to promote Aseer.”

What then would persuade a sceptical traveller to visit? Alghami’s answer came quickly. “There is the highest mountain peak in Saudi. We have 125 kilometres in Red Sea coastline. You can go to the top of the mountain and down to the beach in one hour. You can live in 18 degrees and 40 degrees in one hour.” The sense of diversity, from mountain summits to beaches, islands, desert and juniper forests, is indeed compelling. For those seeking adventure, he added, “you can climb a mountain, dive in the sea, visit islands, visit desert, visit mountain. Aseer, let’s say, it’s like a small country in Saudi Arabia.”

Sustainability, a watchword of the global travel industry, is firmly on the radar. “Yes,” he said simply, noting that the region is leaning towards eco-friendly and adventure-based tourism, a choice designed to appeal to the new generation of Asian and European travellers. Adding to its allure is the local cuisine. “In 2022 we won the award, the best food outside of Europe,” he said proudly, before sharing a personal anecdote. “Actually, I moved to Aseer in 2023. I think I got fat  and added 20 kilos more. Because the food is amazing.” Barrett asked the obvious follow-up: what dish should a visitor try first? “Haneeth, for sure. It’s lamb cooked with rice. Very delicious and smoked. No spices. Just the meat and the rice.” A culinary revelation that seemed to capture, in miniature, the authenticity the region hopes to sell.

Numbers and strategies underpin the story. Saudi Arabia has seen robust growth in tourism, with domestic travellers spending longer nights and contributing more significantly to revenues than many inbound markets. For Aseer, this has been a blessing and a constraint. Reliable domestic numbers are strong, but international recognition still limited. The gap between 7.5 million visitors overall and fewer than 100,000 foreign tourists each year illustrates the task ahead. Yet with direct flights multiplying, a new airport on the horizon, and campaigns across Asia, Aseer is positioning itself as the Kingdom’s cool mountain escape, a counterpoint to Riyadh’s megaprojects and Jeddah’s seafront.

As the interview closed, Barrett reflected that he had to visit for himself. “I would never believe there would be a cold place in Saudi,” he admitted. Alghami responded without hesitation: “There is. And from here, I invite everyone to visit Aseer one day.” It was both an invitation and a sales pitch, the kind of remark that might have sounded formulaic had it not been delivered with conviction. For all the talk of statistics and strategies, it is perhaps that simple promise; there is more to Saudi Arabia than desert heat, which could prove Aseer’s strongest message to the world.

Thanks to Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for providing the space to connect and converse at PTM2025.