Roaming is a key revenue source for Gulf operators as the region attracts more tourists who expect high-quality network experiences. Using Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence data, this analysis evaluates the mobile experience of inbound roamers in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E. in 2024.
The findings highlight that Gulf operators generally provide excellent mobile connectivity, with Kuwait, Qatar, and the U.A.E. offering top speeds, particularly for regional travelers. However, performance can vary due to technical and commercial factors, including data speed restrictions imposed by home or host operators to manage costs and network congestion.
To enhance visitor experiences and optimize revenue, operators could revise roaming agreements, introduce speed-tiered tariffs, and ease speed caps. Offering local SIMs, as seen in the UAE, can also address concerns over roaming charges. Otherwise, high costs and limitations may drive users toward eSIM alternatives, reducing operator control over customer experience.
Inbound roamers to Gulf countries in 2024 primarily came from Asian nations, the Gulf region, and the U.S.A. The U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia emerged as the top roaming destinations, followed by Kuwait and Qatar, while Bahrain and Oman had fewer visitors.
Indonesia accounted for 14.4 percent of total inbound roamers, with most travelers heading to Saudi Arabia, likely due to religious pilgrimages.
Saudi Arabian visitors were also significant within the Gulf, particularly in the U.A.E., Bahrain, and Qatar.
The U.S.A. contributed the most non-regional travelers using roaming services (7.9 percent), followed by India (5.6 percent) and Austria (5.3 percent), with Malaysia, Hong Kong, Pakistan, and Egypt also making notable contributions.
Among the top 10 source countries, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong had the highest share of 5G users, whereas travelers from Pakistan, India, and Egypt were the least likely to use 5G while roaming. Further analysis explores network performance in the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, comparing median download speeds for roamers with those on their home networks.
Saudi Arabian and Russian roamers enjoyed the fastest 5G and overall download speeds while visiting the U.A.E. in 2024. Over 37 percent of inbound roamers came from India, Saudi Arabia, Austria, Russia, and Hong Kong, with network experiences varying across these groups. Saudi visitors had roaming speeds similar to their home networks, while Russian travelers saw a significant improvement, with median download speeds more than tripling compared to their home country. In contrast, visitors from Austria, India, and Hong Kong experienced relatively lower performance.
French and American tourists enjoyed the best 5G and overall mobile performance in Saudi Arabia in 2024, with median 5G download speeds reaching 153.79 Mbps and 153.66 Mbps, respectively. Religious pilgrims, primarily from Indonesia and Malaysia, made up 38.7 percent of inbound roamers.
Saudi operators provided moderate speeds for visitors from Malaysia, Pakistan, and Egypt, though 5G performance improved for Malaysians and Pakistanis, reaching 90.97 Mbps and 112.68 Mbps, respectively. Indonesian roamers faced a uniform 10 Mbps speed cap, likely imposed by their home operators. Overall, most inbound roamers experienced similar or worse network conditions compared to their home countries, except for Pakistanis, who saw a speed increase from 19.38 Mbps at home to 27.22 Mbps while roaming.
Saudi Arabian visitors experienced the fastest 5G speeds in Kuwait at 240.37 Mbps, though their overall network speeds were about 40 percent lower than their 5G speeds and 30 percent lower than in their home country. Other major tourist groups in Kuwait saw a decline in median download speeds compared to their home networks, with U.S. travelers experiencing the most notable drop.
Qatar provides exceptionally fast 5G speeds to inbound roamers, particularly from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, who experienced median 5G download speeds of 381.0 Mbps and 227.1 Mbps, respectively. Travelers from Saudi Arabia and the U.S.A. made up 36.2 percent of total roamers, with those from neighboring countries enjoying the best performance.
In contrast, Austrian visitors had much lower speeds, around 36 Mbps for both 5G and all technologies. Compared to their home networks, travelers from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia saw significant speed improvements, while those from Kuwait, the U.S.A., and Austria likely experienced a decline in network performance.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
