The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourism sector produced an economic impact of approximately $254.7 billion in 2025, with visitor arrivals reaching 75.7 million and inbound spending at $131.9 billion. Between 2019 and 2025, the sector expanded at a compound annual growth rate of 7.3%, exceeding the global tourism average of 6.7%. GCC countries accounted for roughly 5% of worldwide tourist arrivals and contributed 6.9% of total global tourism receipts during 2025.
Eighth Regional Workshop on Tourism Statistics Held in Muscat
The GCC Statistical Centre organized the eighth Regional Workshop on Innovation in Tourism Statistics over two days in Muscat. The event involved 30 specialists and officials from GCC member
states’ statistical agencies. The workshop focused on strengthening regional collaboration and enhancing the integration and analysis of tourism data.
Statements from GCC Statistical Centre Director
Intisar Al Wahaibi, Director General of the GCC Statistical Centre, highlighted tourism’s steady expansion as a fundamental element within national development frameworks of GCC countries. She emphasized the critical need for reliable tourism statistics to quantify the sector’s economic contributions, monitor ongoing progress, and guide policy, investment, and development decisions across the region.
Workshop Focus on Statistical Integration and Data Quality
Workshop discussions addressed improving tourism data integration by linking, matching, calibrating, and reconciling datasets from various sources. Participants examined methods to evaluate the quality, consistency, and comparability of
tourism statistics, alongside approaches to detect tourism trends and forecast demand by leveraging combined datasets.
The workshop also reviewed the risks of single-source data reliance, legal and institutional frameworks for data sharing among GCC entities, and technical capabilities needed to enhance data exchange. These efforts aimed to boost reliability and comparability of tourism indicators across member states.
Progress Toward Gulf Tourism Strategy Goals
The average implementation rate of the Gulf Tourism Strategy objectives across GCC countries reached 73.8% in 2025. The strategy supports the sector’s role as a significant driver of economic growth and sustainable development in the region. The workshop concluded with recommendations for methodological
improvements designed to standardize and elevate the quality of tourism statistics throughout the GCC.
