Service exports down 3% to SAR 71.3B in Q1 2026; imports drop 3%

Saudi Arabia's service exports fell to SAR 71.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, a 3% decline from a year earlier, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics. Service imports also dropped 3% over the same period.

The figures cover travel, transport, and other cross-border services. Travel receipts, which include spending by foreign visitors, have been a growing component of non-oil revenue as the kingdom expands tourism under Vision 2030.

On a quarter-over-quarter basis, service exports rose compared to Q4 2025. The authority did not provide the prior-period figure in the release.

The services trade surplus – exports minus imports – narrowed given the parallel decline in both flows. The surplus had been widening in recent years as tourism and business travel increased.

Saudi Arabia's non-oil economy expanded in the first quarter, based on purchasing managers' index data. The services trade figures offer another look at the diversification drive.

Transport services, including airline and shipping revenue, also factor into the data. Government services and intellectual property charges are smaller components.

Services trade is a component of Saudi Arabia's current account, which also includes oil exports and remittances. The next quarterly services trade release is scheduled for July.