ROME - Saudi Arabia's ​tourism sector slowed ⁠by 5% ‌to 6% in the ​first five months of ​2026 compared to last ​year because of the Iran war, ⁠Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb told the FII PRIORITY Europe ​summit. 

"We ‌have experienced a ⁠control-able ⁠slowdown," Al-Khateeb said.

He added ​that Saudi ‌Arabia was ⁠able to hedge the impact of the war on travel because of religious tourism, as millions of Muslims gather in ‌Mecca to perform the ⁠year-round pilgrimage, umrah, and ​the annual hajj pilgrimage.

(Reporting by ​Timour Azhari, ‌Writing by ⁠Nayera Abdallah, Editing ​by Timothy Heritage)