GCC tourism reaches $254.7 billion value

The tourism sector in Gulf Cooperation Council nations reached a total economic value of approximately $254.7 billion in 2025, according to a report from the GCC Statistical Centre. This figure represents the combined direct and indirect economic impact of travel and tourism across the region. Globally, the sector was valued at roughly $11.7 trillion during the same period. The GCC’s tourism industry also supported approximately 4.5 million jobs, a significant portion of the global total of about 371 million tourism-related positions.

Meeting Gulf Tourism Strategy Goals

The region is on track to meet the targets set by the Gulf Tourism Strategy for 2022–2030. By 2025, member states had achieved an average of 73.8% progress toward the strategy’s six key objectives. This progress was driven by sustained growth in visitor numbers and spending, alongside an increase in the sector’s contribution to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Key targets for 2030 include attracting 128.7 million visitors and raising the direct contribution of travel and tourism GDP to $145.8 billion. The report notes that the GCC’s share of global tourism receipts stood at 6.9% in 2025, reflecting the expanding economic footprint of the regional market.

Current data shows the region is approaching these long-term goals. In 2025, the number of inbound visitors reached 89.9 million, which is 69.9% of the 2030 target. Direct travel and tourism GDP was at $101.7 billion, or 69.8% of the 2030 goal. The sector’s contribution to GCC GDP also rose to 4.6% in 2025, achieving 70.8% of the 2030 target of 6.5%. The number grew by 3.1% between 2024 and 2025, while average annual growth over the 2019–2025 period was approximately 29.4%, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the trajectory of this indicator.

Domestic Spending and Employment

Domestic tourism figures show the region is also prioritizing local travelers. In 2025, domestic tourist spending reached $42.9 billion, which represents 87.6% of the 2030 target of $49 billion. This figure grew by 6.2% in 2025 alone. Direct employment in the sector also expanded, reaching 2.2 million jobs, or 74.7% of the 2030 target for approximately 2.9 million jobs.

Passport strength is another factor aiding the region’s tourism ambitions. According to the Henley Passport Index 2026, GCC countries occupy the top six positions among Arab nations for ease of international mobility. Passports from the region have improved in ranking by 6 to 36 places compared to 2016 levels. In terms of inbound tourist spending, total expenditure rose to US$131.9 billion in 2025, achieving 70.2% of the 2030 target of US$188 billion. It recorded growth of 9.7% in one year and average annual growth of 17.5% over the 2019–2025 period.

This contribution grew by 7% between 2024 and 2025, while average annual growth over the 2019–2025 period was approximately 7.2%. These indicators strengthened the international standing of the tourism sector in the GCC countries, whose share of total international tourism reached 5% in 2025, while their share of global tourism receipts stood at 6.9%. This reflects the region’s expanding presence in the global tourism market and the sector’s growing economic impact.