The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism sector has reached an impressive economic value of approximately $254.7 billion in 2025, according to a report from the GCC Statistical Centre. This figure underscores the sector’s significant growth and its role in supporting around 4.5 million jobs across the region, highlighting the increasing importance of tourism in the GCC economy.
The report, titled “Strategic Tourism Ambition in the GCC Countries,” reveals that the direct and indirect contributions of tourism are substantial when compared to the global tourism economy, which is valued at $11.7 trillion. The findings indicate that the GCC is making notable strides towards achieving its tourism goals, with the sector’s growth rates remaining competitive against global averages.
Progress Towards Tourism Goals
As part of the Gulf Tourism Strategy 2022-2030, the report assesses the resilience of the tourism sector amid geopolitical tensions and outlines recovery pathways. By 2025, the GCC had achieved approximately 73.8 percent of its strategic objectives, driven by increased visitor numbers and spending, as well as a rising contribution to GDP and employment.
The strategy aims to attract 128.7 million visitors by 2030, elevate direct travel and tourism GDP to $145.8 billion, and increase inbound tourist spending to $188 billion. Additionally, it seeks to enhance tourism’s direct contribution to GDP to 6.5 percent and create around 2.9 million direct jobs.
Visitor Growth and Spending Trends
Inbound visitors to the GCC reached 89.9 million in 2025, marking a 3.1 percent increase from the previous year and achieving 69.9 percent of the 2030 target. This growth reflects an average annual increase of approximately 29.4 percent since 2019, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourist spending also saw significant growth, reaching $131.9 billion in 2025, which is 70.2 percent of the 2030 target. This represents a year-on-year increase of 9.7 percent and an average annual growth rate of 17.5 percent from 2019 to 2025. Domestic tourist spending reached $42.9 billion, equivalent to 87.6 percent of the 2030 target, growing by 6.2 percent from 2024.
Economic Contributions and Employment Growth
The direct travel and tourism GDP across the GCC hit $101.7 billion in 2025, achieving 69.8 percent of the 2030 target. This figure reflects an 8.8 percent increase from 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 15.9 percent since 2019. The tourism sector’s contribution to the GCC GDP rose to 4.6 percent, reaching 70.8 percent of the strategy’s target for 2030.
In terms of employment, direct jobs in travel and tourism reached 2.2 million in 2025, representing 74.7 percent of the 2030 target. This sector saw a growth of 5.6 percent in direct employment from 2024 to 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 4.9 percent over the same period.
These developments not only reflect the GCC’s commitment to enhancing its tourism sector but also its expanding footprint in the global tourism market, accounting for 5 percent of total international tourism in 2025 and 6.9 percent of global tourism receipts. The report indicates that the GCC’s growing presence in the international tourism arena is a testament to its economic impact and strategic initiatives.
For further insights into the GCC’s tourism sector, refer to the full report by the GCC Statistical Centre.
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