Flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, Saudia, unveiled in a post on X that they have rolled a uniquely painted Boeing 787 out of the shop, spotlighting the airline’s tourism campaign. The jet’s bright purple color, with its patterned tail livery complementing a happy child welcoming flyers aboard, distinctly stands out from the rest of the white and blue fleet.

Saudia is partnering with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a push to increase tourism from abroad with the long-haul Boeing 787 as a flagship for the current tourism campaign. The Kingdom continues to drive for stronger performance in its tourism industry as the number of visitors to Saudi Arabia continues to grow, year over year.

Saudia’s Special Wings

The fuselage of Saudia’s 787 tail number HZ-ARF is proudly emblazoned with the slogan, “Saudi, Welcome To Arabia.” The Arabic designs of the tailplane incorporate a colorful, regional aesthetic that offers a cultural theme not seen on the airline’s other jetliners. The Kingdom’s tourism drive comes after investment in additional infrastructure and technology for the airline industry to support more traffic and a better experience for travelers to and from Saudi Arabia.

The airline currently has 21 Boeing 787 Dreamliner, twin-aisle jets in its Fleet. Of those widebodies, eight are the longer 787-10, while 13 are the mid-size variant, the 787-9. Saudia does not own any of the smallest Dreamliner, the 787-8, according to Planespotters.net fleet data. Tail number HZ-ARF is one of the older airframes at just under nine-years-old, rolling off the line in 2017.

Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, was quoted by AeroTime, remarking on the tourism campaign with the following comments:

“[The partnership] is a strong example of how alignment around shared national objectives can drive real impact… continued growth in visitor numbers reflects the success of our joint efforts.”

All Roads Lead To Riyadh

Saudi Arabia has experienced a rapid transformation in tourism traffic over the last several years, evolving from a primarily religious travel destination into a leading global leisure hub. The flagship 2026 campaign, « It’s Not What You Hear, It’s Being Here, » is led by the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) to challenge global perceptions of the Kingdom by inviting travelers to experience the country’s transformation firsthand. The Kingdom reached its original « Vision 2030 » goal of 100 million annual visitors in 2023, seven years ahead of schedule, prompting a new target of 150 million visitors by 2030.

The « I Came for Football, I Stayed For More » is a global campaign featuring Cristiano Ronaldo that uses sporting events in Riyadh and Jeddah as a hook to promote Saudi Arabia’s broader culture and tourism activities. At the end of 2025, the STA held a “Winter Is Alive” roadshow to promote the unique destinations across the country, like Riyadh, Diriyah, Jeddah, AlUla, Saudi Red Sea, Qassim, Hail, and Madinah.

A heritage-focused campaign, « This Land Is Calling, » highlights the Kingdom’s 10,000+ archaeological sites and eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites to attract travelers who enjoy exploring the depths of cultural history and rich stories behind the people and nation that is modern Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom also took advantage of the Monaco yacht show last September to highlight the Red Sea with its luxury beach resorts as a top waterfront destination in the Gulf.

The Dreamliner Difference

The most technologically advanced and modern jetliner in the Boeing lineup today is the 787 Dreamliner, which provides the backbone of Saudia’s international, long-haul fleet. The jet has become one of the most popular aircraft ever made by Boeing, and it is the best-selling widebody jetliner in history.

The 787 is the first clean sheet designed at the company in decades. Not only does the aircraft deliver a 25% fuel savings to carriers, compared to the legacy aircraft that it replaced, but inside the cabin is a much more comfortable and spacious experience for flyers.

Regardless of airfare class, the Dreamliner delivers a quieter and smoother ride with better pressurization, humidity, and lighting. As well as providing more room for everyone, the plane has the largest windows of any airliner in the world, allowing for abundant natural light and excellent views on your journey.